Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
A mum from Wyoming tragically shot and killed her four children before turning the gun to shoot herself.
Tranyelle Harshman, 32, opened fire on her kids Brailey, nine, Olivia Blackmer, seven, Brooke, two, and Jordan, two, at their family home last week.
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Harshman made a chilling phone call to police
Wyoming police said they received a 911 call from a woman 'reporting gunshots that occurred inside her home', at around 1:30pm local time last Monday (10 February).
Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office said their communications centre 'received a 911 call from a female subject reporting gunshots that occurred inside her home and further reported her daughters had been shot'.
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"The female caller further reported to the dispatcher the locations of the victims," police said. "Two children would be located upstairs in their cribs and two children would be located downstairs in their shared bedroom.
"The caller further stated she could be found in her upstairs bedroom and that she was going to do the same to herself."
Police arrived at the scene
When police arrived at the scene, Harshman's two-year-old and nine-year-old daughters were dead, and the seven-year-old and another two-year-old were found alive, according to authorities.
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The second two-year-old then died at the scene due to the extent of her injuries, and seven-year-old Olivia was taken to a local hospital.
Big Horn County Wyoming Sheriff's Office said Harshman was found to have signs of life and also taken to hospital. However, she was later pronounced dead.
Harshman's husband said she 'is not a monster'
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Her husband, Cliff Harshman, told Cowboy State Daily that his wife had been receiving treatment for mental health issues, such as PTSD and postpartum depression.
“My wife is not a monster,” he said. “Most people don’t understand how that affects the brain. It’s a chemical imbalance … And it can be exacerbated by trying to fix it with medication.”
Olivia, seven, died in hospital
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Olivia passed away at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Saturday (15 February).
"Olivia is with her sisters now," a family statement read. "She gained her angel wings yesterday (15 February) at 3:44pm. 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.
"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."
Harshman's friend said she was 'struggling'
Harshman's friend, Briana Baker, told the Scripps News Group that she had been 'struggling' from a mental point of view.
She said: "You never know what someone is struggling with inside of their mind. Tranyelle was not the monster this tragedy makes her seem to be. Her loved ones don’t want her to be remembered for her darkest moments.
"She was sweet, loving and funny. Her children were her main focus in life."
Two GoFundMe campaigns have since been launched to support the family and you can donate here or here.
If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.
Topics: US News, Mental Health, Crime, Parenting
Anish Vij