The body of a little boy from Texas who was reported missing has been discovered, delivering a devastating blow to those who loved him.
Samuel Olson's remains were found in a hotel room in Jasper, Texas, over 100 miles from his Houston home. Samuel was reported missing on Thursday night, just days before his sixth birthday on Saturday.
"This is an absolutely tragic event. Our hearts go out to his family," Heather Morris, the assistant chief of the Houston Police Department, said in a press conference on Wednesday, per Inside Edition.
Compounding the tragedy is that an arrest has been made close to the family.
Theresa Balboa, the 29-year-old girlfriend of Samuel's father, Dalton Olson, was arrested after being found in the same motel room as Samuel's remains. Investigators struggled with this investigation after different family members gave different accounts of when the little boy was last seen. The last day he was seen at school was April 30.
The police investigation began when Dalton Olson contacted authorities. They interviewed Balboa, who said she last saw Sam when his mom and an officer came to pick him up that morning. She said she was told she would go to jail for kidnapping if she didn't hand the boy over. Dalton Olson contacted Sam's mom, but she didn't have her son.
Balboa's arrest violated the conditions under which she was out on bond for. She faced an assault charge for choking Dalton Olson in November 2020.
"It is with great sadness that I share with you that a body — of who we believe to be 6-year-old Samuel Olson — was recovered in a motel room in Jasper, Texas, earlier this evening," Houston Police Chief Troy Finner announced on Twitter.
"A possible suspect is in custody and will be interviewed by our homicide investigators. More details will be provided at a news briefing tomorrow. I ask the entire Houston community to join HPD in sending prayers for Samuel and his family."
