Parents charged after 7-year-old boy found dead in washing machine

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Months after a young boy was found dead inside a washing machine, his adoptive parents have been charged with his murder.

>> Read more trending news

Jemaine and Tiffany Thomas were arrested Nov. 15 and charged in connection with the death of Troy Khoeler, KTRK reported.

Khoeler was found on July 28, two to three hours after he had been reported missing. At the time, investigators said they did not know whether he had been killed by the washing machine or killed and placed inside it.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Khoeler’s adoptive parents were charged after an autopsy determined the child had both new and previous injuries, according to KPRC. In court documents obtained by the station, investigators said the child suffered from asphyxiation, blunt-force trauma and possible drowning. He also had bruises on his body and his face.

Prosecutors said that text messages between the parents revealed that Tiffany had threatened to put the child in the oven after he had lied about eating her cookies, KPRC reported. The text messages allegedly offer graphic descriptions of how Jemaine said he would kill the 7-year-old after the child ate Jemaine’s doughnut sticks.

Texas CPS told KTRK that Troy was a foster child, and had been adopted by the family in 2019. No other children live in the home.

©2022 Cox Media Group