Colorado Mom Charged With Murder After Supplying Daughter, 16, With Alcohol Until She Drank Herself to Death

In Colorado, a mother is accused of second-degree murder due to the death of her 16-year-old daughter from alcohol consumption.

Gretchen Leanne Ryan, a woman aged 55 years from Arvada, has been charged with the death of her teenage daughter, Grace, who died from complications caused by excessive alcohol intake. Grace died from aspiration pneumonia and fatty liver disease following the autopsy done on her body on March 9, 2026, the day Grace was found dead at their home. Responders to the call noted that Grace was unresponsive to any stimuli, and subsequently, she was pronounced dead.

Over 173 bottles of liquor, which mainly consisted of vodka and other hard liquor, have been discovered in Grace’s bedroom. The bottles were mainly hidden in her bed and closet. According to prosecutors, Ryan supplied Grace with alcohol, regularly consumed and used marijuana with her, communicated with her every day to buy alcohol, and withdrew her from school to consume alcohol together.

According to authorities, the prosecution claims that Ryan continued to expose Grace to the dangers of alcohol despite her deteriorating health status and pleas from Grace to stop, as she felt she was dying.

Evidence collected in this case consists of text messages in which Ryan stated she was “committing child abuse and murder” and that she was “going to prison.” She reportedly asked her daughter if she wanted to die after vomiting blood and admitted that she tried to be the “cool mom” in her efforts, and she committed a great mistake.

Ryan has been charged with second-degree murder.