Four children were found dead in an apartment in the city of Mechanicville, in the state of New York, United States, after being left for 13 days. The bodies of siblings Harper, 13, Hudson, 11, and twins Gavin and Gracelynn, 10, were located after a neighbor noticed a strong odor coming from the apartment and an unusual amount of flies.
A toxicology exam confirmed that the four children had substances in their bodies capable of causing drowsiness. The report, released in September, detected the presence of codeine and diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in the allergy medication Benadryl, in the siblings' bodies.
Police point to the mother and grandmother of the children as responsible for the murders. According to the investigation, the two took their own lives after committing the crime against their four children.
The children's father, meanwhile, released the last messages exchanged with his ex-wife before the crime, stating that his children were not pawns to be sacrificed. Sheriff Bill Rabbitt, the local police chief, gave interviews to broadcaster WRGB about the case.
