A seven-year-old girl who survived her mum’s triple murder-suicide rampage has died after fighting for her life in hospital.
Olivia Blackmer was shot in the head by her mother Tranyelle Harshman at the family’s home in Byron, Wyoming, on February 10 in a horror attack during which the 32-year-old killed three of her other children. Harshman – who had been suffering from postpartum depression and PTSD – shot dead Olivia’s older sister Brailey, nine, and her two younger twin half-sisters, two-year-old Brooke and Jordan.
The mum then called 911 and told authorities where to find her children’s bodies before turning the gun on herself, and later died at hospital following the arrival of first responders at the scene, who transferred gravely injured Olivia to Utah Children’s Hospital, where she underwent emergency brain surgery. She spent several days under heavy sedation before her step-mum announced the sad news that she had died from her injuries on Sunday.
Writing in an update on a GoFundMe account she had set up to help raise money for her medical expenses, Katelynn Beatty said on Monday that Olivia had fought “up to the last minute”. But she added that the nine-year-old’s body had “been through too much” and she succumbed to her injuries on Sunday afternoon.
She wrote: “Olivia is with her sisters now. She gained her angel wings yesterday at 3:44 pm. She fought so so hard up til the last minute! Her body and her brain had been through too much, medication helped but we reached a point where medical options were exhausted and her body only continued to get worse.
Ms Beatty said her stepdaughter fought for five days following the horror incident, adding she was grateful for the “valuable time” the family had with Olivia before her death. She said: “She kept fighting through it all though until her heart stopped. We are grateful she hung on as long as she did so we could get some valuable time with our sweet baby girl the last five days.
“We want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support for our family. We are in a rough spot with the tragic passing of both daughters. We took time as a family to grieve and be in the moment before letting the world know but wanted to let you all know as we are thankful for all that you have done.”
Quinn Blackmer, Olivia’s father, shared news of his daughter’s death in his own devastating post on Facebook, in which he said he found peace in “knowing that my babies don’t have to be apart from each other and they can also be with their other sisters”.
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