The father of a seven-year-old girl who was shot in the head by her mother in a tragic murder-suicide has spoken out, sharing his heartbreak in the wake of his daughter’s death.
Olivia Blackmer passed away on the afternoon of February 15, five days after being rushed to the hospital with a gunshot wound inflicted by her mother, Tranyelle Harshman. The 32-year-old mother had called 911 before turning the gun on her children and then herself in a horrifying act of violence.
The devastating incident, which unfolded in Wyoming, claimed the lives of Olivia’s older sister, nine-year-old Brailey, and two-year-old twin stepsisters, Brooke and Jordan. They were pronounced dead at the scene on February 10. Olivia, the only child to survive the initial attack, was taken to a local hospital before being airlifted to another facility for further treatment.
Despite the medical team’s best efforts, her father, Quinn Blackmer, confirmed her passing, expressing his immense grief in a heartfelt Facebook post.
“The amount of devastation we feel and are going through is overwhelming,” he wrote. “Please give all families involved our time and space during this extremely difficult time in our lives. Funeral arrangements and updates to what we think the world needs to know will be on my Facebook, but also on the GoFundMe.”
He went on to thank those who had supported the family through donations, prayers, and kind words. “Your kindness and generosity have meant so much to us. We just ask that you continue to pray and keep us in your thoughts,” he continued. “The peace I find is knowing that my babies don’t have to be apart from each other and that they can also be with their other sisters.”
In an earlier interview with KTVQ, Quinn admitted to feeling “furious” with Harshman but said he was trying to set those emotions aside.
“I’m trying my hardest to bury that for a while and focus on the now, because that anger isn’t going to bring my child back,” he said.
Olivia’s stepmother, Katelynn Blackmer, also shared the heartbreaking news on a GoFundMe page created to cover medical costs and funeral expenses.
“Olivia is with her sisters now. She gained her angel wings yesterday at 3:44 p.m. She fought so, so hard up until 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 wrote.
Katelynn expressed gratitude for the time the family had with Olivia in her final days. “She kept fighting through it all 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,” she shared.
“We want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support for our family.”
She also spoke about the immense weight of losing not just one, but two daughters in such a short span. “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 we wanted to share because we are so thankful for all that you have done for us.”
The tragic deaths of Olivia, Brailey, Brooke, and Jordan have left their family and community reeling, with loved ones struggling to comprehend the unimaginable loss. In times like these, words feel inadequate, but those who knew and loved these girls are holding on to the memories they left behind.
If you or someone you know is struggling with grief, support is available. You can contact The Compassionate Friends at (877) 969-0010. For crisis support, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
