7-year-old dies in Utah hospital days after Wyoming murder-suicide

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A 7-year-old girl who was flown to a Utah hospital with a gunshot wound to the head after an apparent murder-suicide in Wyoming has died, according to family members.

Quinn and Katelynn Blackmer previously released a statement via Intermountain Children’s Health regarding the 7-year-old. The couple asked for privacy and said any updates on their daughter would be posted on the GoFundMe page set up for her.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, Katelynn Blackmer posted an update on the GoFundMe page to say that their girl was “with her sisters now.” She passed away on Saturday afternoon.

“She kept fighting through it all though until her heart stopped,” the update reads. “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.”

According to the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, on Monday, Feb. 10, officials responded to a home in Byron, Wyoming, after getting a call from a woman who said that her daughters were shot and where their bodies could be found. The caller then said she would be able to be found in an upstairs bedroom after saying “she was going to do the same to herself,” officials said.

When officials arrived at the scene, they located two deceased girls, ages 2 and 9, and two girls who were still alive, ages 2 and 7. All children had gunshot wounds to the head, and the surviving children later died from their injuries.

The 7-year-old girl who initially survived was taken to North Big Horn Hospital in an ambulance. She was later flown to a Utah hospital for care where doctors assessed the damage to her head, according to the GoFundMe, before she passed away.

Officials also located a 32-year-old woman — later confirmed to be the 911 caller and the mother of the children — in the home. She had a single gunshot wound to the head, and she was showing “signs of life,” according to the sheriff’s office.

Another GoFundMe has been set up for the girls’ father in Wyoming.

“We are in a rough spot with the tragic passing of both daughters,” Katelynn Blackmer’s update continued. “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.”

The 32-year-old mother accused of firing the gun was also taken to North Big Horn Hospital, after which she was provided advanced life support. Officials have not released further information about the condition of the mother.

“Please note that this is an open and ongoing investigation and not all details are available to be released,” the sheriff’s office said in a Feb. 11 press release. “Our hearts and prayers go out to all those who are affected by this extremely horrible and tragic incident.”