The 7-year-old girl shot in the head by her mother during a murder-suicide that killed her sisters has died after five days of fighting for her life in the hospital.
Olivia Blackmer died at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City on Saturday afternoon, her stepmom revealed in a devastating update posted to the GoFundMe campaign she started for the little girl’s medical expenses.
“Olivia is with her sisters now,” Katelynn Beatty wrote in a Sunday update on the fundraiser’s page. “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,” Beatty added.
“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.”
Olivia was shot in the head by her mother, Tranyelle Harshman, 32, at the family home in Byron, Wyoming, on Feb. 10, in a murder-suicide rampage in which the mom also killed her 9-year-old sister Brailey and her 2-year-old twin step-sisters Brooke and Jordan before turning the gun on herself.
The 7-year-old was airlifted to the Utah Children’s Hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery, then spent days “heavily sedated” until her death.
“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,” Beatty wrote.
“Olivia and Brailey know how loved they were by all of us! This is going to be extremely hard, please keep our family in your prayers as we figure out how to grieve this horrific tragedy day to day.”
Olivia and Brailey’s father, Quinn Blackmer, also shared the news of her death on Facebook Sunday and also thanked “every single person that has donated and prayed and fasted for us and our family and our beautiful Olivia.”
“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.
“I hate that I even have to post this part. Please do not click on any links that random people post as they have nothing to do with us and could potentially be malicious.”
The family is still working out funeral arrangements for the 7-year-old.
Harshman — who was struggling with her mental health and suffering from postpartum depression and PTSD — called 911 and told the dispatcher where they would find her children’s bodies before shooting herself.
When officers arrived on the scene, Harshman was found alive. She later died in a Billings hospital.
The siblings split their lives between Byron, Wyoming, where they stayed with their mother and stepfather — and Utah, where they stayed with their father and stepmother.
Olivia and her sister Brailey were incredibly close, a family friend said.
The grieving father of Brooke and Jordan, Cliff Harshman, told KTVQ on Thursday that the overwhelming loss was “something beyond what I can comprehend.”
“I’m so angry. I don’t even know how to explain this to you. I’m so angry with her for the decision that was made,” the heartbroken dad shared.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
