A Colorado mother has been arrested months after her 16-year-old daughter was discovered dead inside their home, where investigators said they found more than 170 empty alcohol bottles.
Gretchen Leanne Ryan, 55, has been charged with second-degree murder following an investigation into what prosecutors described as deeply troubling conduct in the months before her daughter’s alcohol-related death, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Ryan’s daughter, identified in an obituary as Grace Elizabeth Ryan, was found by first responders on the morning of March 9 at the family’s home in Arvada, a Denver suburb.
The teenager was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene. Prosecutors said investigators later uncovered digital evidence allegedly showing that Ryan regularly used alcohol and marijuana with her daughter.
According to the district attorney’s office, text messages between Ryan and Grace indicated the teen had been experiencing serious health problems in the months leading up to her death.
In those messages, Grace allegedly described vomiting blood, struggling to eat, having difficulty walking and needing to wear diapers.
Investigators also said Grace told her mother she needed help and feared she was going to die, prosecutors said.
The night before she died, Grace sent her mother a message saying she felt sick. Her final outgoing message was sent from her iPad at 10.07pm.
Grace Elizabeth Ryan, 16, was found dead on the morning of March 9 at her Colorado home. Prosecutors believe she died from alcohol-related complications brought on by her mother
Gretchen Leanne Ryan, 55, was arrested in May in connection with her daughter’s death. She faces second-degree murder charges
Authorities said the iPad was found near Grace’s body in the bathroom the following morning.
Despite the nighttime messages, 911 had not been called until around 8.15am, the DA’s office said.
When the police arrived, Ryan was wearing a T-shirt and an adult diaper. She was allegedly slurring her words and told detectives, ‘I killed her,’ according to an arrest warrant.
Investigators noted that the home smelled like urine. During a search of the residence, authorities recovered 173 empty bottles under Grace’s bed and in the closet.
Text messages included in an arrest affidavit obtained by The Denver Post noted that days before Grace’s death, she texted her mother, ‘If you’re going to do this to me you need to take me to a hospital.’
Ryan denied Grace’s concerns that she was going to die and allegedly told her to smoke marijuana instead of drinking.
Grace had also texted a friend a week before her death that she was an alcoholic and wanted to get sober.
The affidavit also stated that Ryan told police her daughter drank to the point of vomiting at least once a week.
Investigators found 173 bottles of alcohol in Grace’s room after her death. They also uncovered text messages allegedly revealing the extent of the alcohol her mother provided her
Investigators said that Grace’s father was living in the basement, and Ryan had allegedly attempted to conceal their alcohol abuse from him
The teen was removed from public high school in April 2025 to attend online school. However, the DA’s office said that Grace had completed only one online semester and had not participated in any activities outside her home.
Her father had been living in the basement, and Ryan had allegedly attempted to conceal her daughter’s alcohol abuse from him.
An autopsy report concluded that Grace’s cause of death was aspiration pneumonia related to chronic alcohol use.
Grace also had an abnormally fatty liver for her age, which was believed to have been a result of extensive and prolonged alcohol consumption.
An obituary for the teen said she loved art, music, attending church, caring for her pets and crafts.
Grace had aspired to be a social worker. She was described as an empathetic and compassionate individual. The obituary also noted her parents were ‘adoring’ and ‘loving.’
Ryan was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond for murder in the second degree.
Her next court date is scheduled for July 16. She has not yet entered a plea for the charges against her, and it is unclear if she has retained an attorney.
