A Colorado woman faces second-degree murder charges after prosecutors say she supplied alcohol to her 16-year-old daughter, contributing to the girl's death in March.
Gretchen Ryan, 55, of Arvada, was arrested last month and charged with knowingly causing the death of her daughter Grace Ryan. Authorities allege Ryan provided vodka and other liquor to the teen over several months while concealing the activity from the girl's father. Grace was found unresponsive in a bathroom at the family home in the 6400 block of West 85th Avenue on March 9. An autopsy determined the cause of death as aspiration pneumonia related to chronic alcohol use. Investigators recovered 173 empty alcohol bottles from the girl's room and digital messages showing daily discussions about alcohol since September 2025. Ryan was arraigned on a $500,000 cash-only bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 17 for a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors said the teen had been unenrolled from high school and showed signs of severe health decline before her death.