A father is heartbroken after his 7-year-old daughter died following a murder-suicide committed by her mother. The mother shot and killed her two daughters from a previous relationship, along with two of her daughters with this father, including 7-year-old Olivia Blackmer.
Olivia passed away after five days in the hospital and brain surgery. Her three sisters, 9-year-old Brailey, nearly 3-year-old Brooke, and 2-year-old Jordan, died at the scene in their Wyoming home. Olivia’s family wrote in a crowdfunder that she “fought so, so hard up til the last minute,” and that she is now with her sisters. They explained that her body and brain had endured too much, and despite medication, her condition worsened until medical options were exhausted.
The girls’ mother, 32-year-old Tranyelle Harshman, called police to report the shooting. The Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office stated that Harshman informed them of what she had done to her daughters and her intentions to do the same to herself, also providing the locations of each child within the house. Harshman was still alive at the scene but died the following day, February 11, in a hospital.
Her husband, Cliff, stated that while she wasn’t “a monster,” she did struggle with mental health issues, including PTSD and postpartum depression, for which she was receiving treatment.
Quinn Blackmer, the father of Olivia and Brailey, expressed his immense sorrow, saying the devastation he feels is overwhelming. He finds solace in knowing his daughters are together and with their other sisters. He also expressed gratitude for the support received through the GoFundMe page, thanking everyone for their donations, prayers, and support, and asking for continued prayers and thoughts for his family. The article concludes with condolences and a request for readers to share the story.