A 7-year-old Wyoming girl who had been fighting for her life after being shot in the head by her mother in a tragic murder-suicide has died.
Olivia Blackmer passed away on Saturday afternoon at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, after spending five days under intensive medical care. The devastating news was shared by her stepmother, Katelynn Beatty, through an update on a GoFundMe page set up to cover medical and funeral expenses.
On February 10, Olivia’s mother, Tranyelle Harshman, 32, opened fire inside their Byron, Wyoming, home, fatally shooting Olivia’s 9-year-old sister, Brailey, and her 2-year-old twin step-sisters, Brooke and Jordan, before turning the gun on herself.
Authorities say Harshman called 911 around 1:30 p.m. that day to report the shooting but did not immediately reveal that she was responsible. When law enforcement arrived, two of the children had already died, while Olivia and one of her younger sisters were still alive. The younger sister succumbed to her injuries shortly afterward, and Harshman died later at a hospital in Billings, Montana.
After being airlifted to the hospital in Utah, Olivia underwent emergency brain surgery but remained in critical condition. Her family and community held onto hope for her recovery, with candlelight vigils and prayer services held across Wyoming and even as far away as Uganda.
Despite these efforts, Olivia’s condition continued to decline, and medical options became exhausted. She passed away at 3:44 p.m. on Saturday.
“Olivia is with her sisters now,” Beatty wrote in a heartfelt message. “She fought so, so hard up until the last minute… We are grateful she hung on as long as she did so we could get some valuable time with our sweet baby girl.”
Olivia and Brailey’s father, Quinn Blackmer, also expressed his grief on social media, thanking those who had supported the family.
“The peace I find is knowing that my babies don’t have to be apart from each other and they can also be with their other sisters,” he wrote.
Harshman had reportedly been struggling with mental health challenges, including postpartum depression and PTSD. The tragedy has prompted discussions about mental health awareness and support for struggling parents.
Meanwhile, the family continues to grieve and prepare funeral arrangements for Olivia. Fundraisers have been set up to support both her father and stepmother in Utah and Harshman’s husband in Wyoming.
Authorities remind the public that help is available for those experiencing a mental health crisis. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 988 for confidential support.
With input from New York Post, the Daily Mail, Q2 Montana’s News Leader Billings, and KSL.com.
