MECHANICSVILLE, N.Y. — Four upstate New York children were killed in a devastating family tragedy in June, and a newly reported toxicology finding is providing additional details about what happened before their deaths.
Harper Harmon, 13, and his three younger siblings — Hudson, 11, and twins Gracelynn and Gavin, both 10 — were killed in the Mechanicsville murder-suicide, authorities said.
According to a toxicology report cited by a local news outlet, the children had diphenhydramine and kratom in their systems.
Diphenhydramine is the active ingredient in medications such as Benadryl and is known to cause drowsiness. Kratom is a psychoactive plant-based substance that can produce opioid-like effects and has drawn warnings from federal health authorities.
The toxicology findings have added another disturbing layer to a case that has already left the children’s surviving family members searching for answers.
Authorities Say Mother and Grandmother Were Responsible
Authorities have alleged that the children’s mother, Sarah Myers, 44, and their grandmother, Amy Steadman, 64, were responsible for the deaths before the two women took their own lives.
Investigators said Harper, Hudson and Gracelynn died after being poisoned. Gavin, meanwhile, was reportedly stabbed while attempting to defend himself.
The deaths occurred shortly before the children were expected to travel to Utah to spend the summer with their father, Brady Harmon.
The timing has become a particularly painful detail for Harmon, who had reportedly not seen his children in person since November 2019.
Custody Battle Had Been Ongoing
The family tragedy came amid a bitter custody dispute between Myers and Harmon.
Harmon lives in Utah and had been involved in a prolonged legal battle concerning the children. A letter discovered by authorities after the killings reportedly contained allegations from Myers claiming that Harmon had abused her and the children.
Harmon has denied those allegations.
The custody dispute and the claims made in the letter are now part of the broader circumstances surrounding the case, although the deaths themselves remain the central focus of the investigation and the family’s grief.
The children were reportedly killed shortly before their planned summer visit with their father, adding another devastating dimension to the loss.
Father Speaks Out After Losing Four Children
Harmon has spoken publicly about the deaths of his children, expressing intense anger and heartbreak over what happened.
“My kids suffered,” Harmon told a local television station.
He specifically referenced the reported poisoning and stabbing of the children while condemning the actions that led to their deaths.
“To poison them and also to stab them – there’s a special place in hell for people like that.”
For Harmon, the tragedy represents the loss of four children at once — children he had been hoping to spend time with during the summer.
The newly reported toxicology results have only deepened the painful questions surrounding their final hours.
Toxicology Report Adds New Details
The toxicology report reportedly showed that all four children had kratom and diphenhydramine in their systems.
The finding is significant because investigators have alleged that poisoning played a role in the deaths of three of the children.
Kratom is a psychoactive herbal substance that can affect the body’s opioid receptors. The Food and Drug Administration has previously raised concerns about kratom and its potential effects.
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Diphenhydramine, meanwhile, is widely used as an antihistamine and can cause significant drowsiness.
The reported presence of both substances provides investigators with additional evidence as they piece together the circumstances surrounding the children’s deaths.
Community Left Grieving After Tragic Loss
The deaths have shocked the Mechanicsville community and left relatives facing an unimaginable loss.
Harper, Hudson, Gracelynn and Gavin were children who should have been preparing for a summer with their father and enjoying ordinary family experiences.
Instead, their lives ended in a tragedy that has raised questions about custody disputes, family safety and the circumstances that preceded the killings.
The toxicology findings are among the latest details to emerge as authorities continue examining the case.
For the children’s father and those who loved them, however, the investigation cannot change the devastating outcome.
What are your thoughts on the new toxicology findings in this heartbreaking case? Share your thoughts in the comments.