Unremarkable obituary of grandma accused of poisoning four grandchildren and daughter days before kids went to stay with dad

Published: 04:42, 1 July 2026 | Updated: 04:47, 1 July 2026 A grandmother accused of poisoning her daughter and four grandchildren just days before the children were due to stay with their father was remembered with a simple two-line obituary. Amy Steadman, 64, was found dead inside a Mechanicville, New York apartment on June 23 alongside her daughter, 44-year-old Sarah Myers, and four grandchildren, Harper, 13, Hudson, 11, and Gavin and Gracelynn, both 10.  Evidence collected from the scene 'strong suggests' Steadman was responsible for the family's death, Mechanicville Police Chief William Rabbitt has claimed.  He pointed to a handwritten note as well as bottles of prescription and over-the-counter medicines found in the home that indicated a possible poisoning, the Democrat and Chronicle reported.  Sources also told NewsChannel 13 that the grandmother was resentful over her grandchildren's father recently gaining custody of them.  Autopsies by the Albany Medical Center revealed that one of the four children died from 'fatal sharp-force injuries,' Chief Rabbitt said.  But an obituary published by New Comer Cremations and Funerals now simply says she 'passed away on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. 'Per the request of the family, services were held privately.'  Amy Steadman, 64, was found dead inside a Mechanicville apartment on June 23 with her daughter and four grandchildren, as police reveal evidence may suggest she poisoned the family Steadman's daughter, 44-year-old Sarah Myers, and four grandchildren, Harper, 13, Hudson, 11, and Gavin and Gracelynn, both 10, were found in the apartment alongside the grandmother Police discovered the bodies at around 6.20pm after receiving a call for a welfare check, as the family had not been seen for several days  Police discovered the bodies at around 6.20pm after receiving a call for a welfare check, as the family had not been seen for several days. 'The Mechanicville Police Department, in partnership with the New York State Police, remains committed to conducting a thorough and complete investigation while providing as much information as possible without compromising the integrity of that investigation,' Rabbitt said.  'Mechanicville is a close-knit city. Many residents knew the family involved, have children and grandchildren of their own, or simply cannot comprehend the loss of six lives under such heartbreaking circumstances.' 'Our thoughts remain with the family members, friends, neighbors, first responders and everyone affected by this tragedy.' A resident in the apartment complex, Megan Reed, 38, told the Times Union that the grandmother lived in an apartment in the same building, and was 'with [Myers] every single day to help her.'  She added: 'Those kids don't deserve this.'  Another neighbor told the outlet that the grandmother and mother were 'inseparable', and were 'like best friends.' Steadman's Facebook profile shows that in 2022, she shared a GoFundMe for her daughter to 'help get a domestic violence lawyer.'  Sources claimed the grandmother was resentful over her grandchildren's father recently gaining custody of them Autopsies by the Albany Medical Center revealed that one of the four children died from 'fatal sharp-force injuries'  The fundraiser, which has since been deleted, showed Myers with her children in matching outfits as they pleaded for support. 'Please help my daughter and grandchildren,' Steadman captioned her post at the time. But the children's father, Brady Harmon, denied the accusations in an interview with The US Sun, calling Myers the 'culprit' rather than a 'victim.'  He alleged that she stabbed him in the face with a medicine dropper during a fight in 2019. Harmon also accused his ex-wife of keeping his children away from him to maintain a sense of 'control.'  The devastated father also told how he and Myers married in 2015 but separated four years later, and that it was the last time he saw his children. Still,  he continued to speak with his children, most recently on June 7. Days later, on June 10, he said he received a text from Myers that they were sick.  The children's father, Brady Harmon, said he had not seen his children in years 'She messaged me, "Hey, the kids are sick, we'll talk to you on the 11th,'' he said.  That same day, Harmon said his lawyer sent her paperwork regarding an upcoming custody hearing on the 29th.  'So, I don't know if that pushed them over the edge because like, "Oh my gosh, he actually has a lawyer that's going to do his job. And we don't know way out of this, so let's do the next best thing. He'll never have access to these kids…" and then do what they did,' he speculated.  After he learned his children were sick, Harmon said he called police multiple times to ask for welfare checks.   The grieving father has since speculated during an interview with Spectrum News that Myers and Steadman may have committed the crime together.  'And all because they were going to spend 60 days with me. Sixty days in six and a half years. I finally get 60 days, and I get this thrown in my face,' he added, referring to the upcoming Utah trip.  'I have been fighting for so long to be able to have access to them, fighting so long to be part of their lives and show them there’s something different,' he continued.  'Almost to that finish line, have my legs cut out from me and gutted because someone decided to take my kids away from me.'  Harmon said that he learned his children had died just before Father's Day. He added that his lawyer had recently sent paperwork regarding an upcoming custody hearing  Harmon said he spoke regularly with his children on FaceTime and tried to get them excited about their upcoming summer visit to Utah  The grim discovery of their deaths  came just two days before Father's Day, Harmon noted to ABC affiliate News 10. 'No mother, no sane mother, parent or anything would sit there and allow that to happen,' he said.  'Who could do that to a child, especially your own child or grandchild? It is so sickening to think that they did that.'  Harmon added that he consistently spoke to his children on FaceTime and tried to get them excited about their upcoming summer visit to Utah.  He described his children to the New York Post as 'happy little kids,' adding 'Harper and Grace would show me their drawings, Hudson would show me their cat and Gavin would show me something he built.' Harmon went on to share that Steadman had lived with him and Myers at one point during their marriage. He described the grandmother as not being warm, but admitted that she was 'doting' and would spoil the children.  Meanwhile, Steadman's ex-husband, John Bauman, told Spectrum News that she and her daughter loved the kids, adding that he did not believe they had anything to do with their deaths. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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