Prosecutors said detectives found 173 empty alcohol bottles hidden in the 16-year-old girl’s bedroom.
GOLDEN, Colo. — A Colorado woman has been charged with second-degree murder after prosecutors said her 16-year-old daughter died in March from pneumonia tied to chronic alcohol use inside their Arvada home.
Gretchen Leanne Ryan, 55, is accused of knowingly causing the death of her daughter, identified in public reports as Grace Elizabeth Ryan. The First Judicial District Attorney’s Office said the charge followed a months-long investigation by Arvada police, who reviewed phones, messages, autopsy findings and evidence collected from the family’s home.
Arvada Fire and Arvada police were called March 9 to a residence in the 6400 block of West 85th Avenue after a report of an unresponsive juvenile female. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Prosecutors said the investigation later found that Ryan and her daughter had discussed drinking and getting alcohol almost daily beginning in September 2025. Investigators said Ryan arranged regular alcohol deliveries to the home and tried to hide the teen’s drinking from her father, who mainly lived in the basement.
Detectives said messages between Ryan and her daughter showed the teen was suffering severe health problems before her death. Prosecutors said the messages described vomiting blood, trouble eating, trouble walking and the use of diapers because of symptoms tied to heavy alcohol use. The girl also repeatedly said she feared she was going to die and asked Ryan for help, investigators said. Prosecutors said her last outgoing message was sent to Ryan at 10:07 p.m. March 8 from an iPad found near her body in the bathroom. A 911 call was not made until about 8:15 a.m. the next morning.
During a search of the teen’s bedroom, detectives found 173 empty alcohol bottles hidden under the bed and in a closet, prosecutors said. The bottles included vodka and other hard liquor in several sizes and brands. Investigators also said Ryan and the teen frequently drank alcohol and used marijuana together. Authorities said the girl had been removed from public high school in April 2025 to attend online school. At the time of her death, she had completed only one online semester of ninth grade and had not taken part in activities outside the home for several months.
An autopsy report issued April 4 by Jefferson County forensic pathologist Dr. Dawn Holmes listed the cause of death as aspiration pneumonia related to chronic alcohol use. Prosecutors said preliminary findings also showed the girl had an abnormally fatty liver for her age, which medical professionals said could point to prolonged alcohol consumption. The death was classified as natural because of the voluntary part of the drinking, but prosecutors still filed a criminal charge based on what they said Ryan knew and did before the girl died.
The district attorney’s office filed one count of second-degree murder on May 15, and a warrant was issued for Ryan’s arrest. Arvada police later arrested her at the home. She was booked into the Jefferson County Jail and held on a $500,000 cash-only bond. The charge is a formal accusation, and Ryan is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Ryan’s next court appearance was set for June 17 at 8 a.m. for a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors said the case remains active as the court weighs whether enough evidence exists for the murder charge to move forward.
Author note: Last updated June 29, 2026.