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An emotional husband has confessed to being "a mess" after his wife shot and killed three of their children and injured another, before turning the gun on herself, Knewz.com can reveal.
Cliff Harshman begged others not to rush to judgment, as he tried to come to terms with the motivation for the carnage.
Police in Wyoming say 32-year-old Tranyelle Harshman shot her four daughters, killing three of them, before calling a 911 dispatcher and then killing herself.
Two 2-year-olds and a 9-year-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene, while a 7-year-old girl was flown to a hospital in Salt Lake City, where she is fighting for her life.
According to police, the distraught mom called 911 personally and told them "two children would be located upstairs in their cribs and two children would be located downstairs in their shared bedroom."
The woman then told dispatchers that she would shoot herself and could be found in her bedroom. Dispatchers pleaded with the woman to remain on the line until police arrived at the house, but "it was too late."
Tranyelle's husband, Cliff, told KTVQ in Billings, Montana he is crushed by her actions, while trying to understand why.
He said: "This was something beyond what I can comprehend. She was an incredible mom and she loved those kids."
The couple were married for five years, and Cliff never saw something as horrific as this coming: "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."
Still, he's begged for sympathy and understanding, revealing Tranyelle had been battling post-traumatic stress disorder, postpartum depression, and general depression, and was being treated for her mental-health issues.
Cliff explained: "People don’t understand how mental illness isn’t just a willpower thing. It’s chemical imbalances in your brain. It’s damaged pathways in your brain."
Friends who knew Tranyelle shared their shock as well. Briana Baker, who has a daughter around the same age, told Scripps News: "Everything can change in an instant.
"Never allow yourself to think, 'it couldn’t be me.' Stay humble and kind. 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."
Sage Miears was a former classmate of Tranyelle and Cliff, but had no idea the secrets she was hiding.
He reflected: "If she was really battling postpartum depression, that’s a serious thing. People needed to be there for her."
A Go Fund Me page has been set up for Cliff's children. A note on the fundraiser states: "Tragedy has struck, leaving us shattered and heartbroken. A devoted husband and father of four beautiful daughters, has suffered an unimaginable loss: the passing of 3 of his precious girls. 1 still fighting in salt lake, please pray for her.
"This devastating event has left Cliff and his loved ones reeling in grief, struggling to come to terms with the immense void left in their lives.
"Rest in peace, sweet angels. You will never be forgotten."
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.