Troy Khoeler 7 year old missing Texas boy found dead in washing machine at his adoptive parents home. Criminal investigation launched.
A 7-year-old Texas boy was found dead in a washing machine on Thursday morning — hours after his parents reported the child missing, police said.
Troy Khoeler was found inside a top load washing machine in the garage of his family’s home in Spring, Texas outside of Houston around 7:20 a.m., police said.
His adoptive parents had called 911 to report him missing two hours earlier, Harris County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Robert Minchew told reporters.
It’s not clear whether there was any water in the machine at the time or if the lid had been closed, or how the boy came to end up inside the appliance.
Police would later tweet that a criminal investigation was underway.
Foul play?
Officials could not comment on whether foul play was suspected or if he had climbed into the machine himself but said he was clothed when he was found.
‘We don’t know what happened, but we intend to find out,’ Minchew said.
‘Whether he was killed by the washing machine or killed and placed in it, we’re just so far from that, I can’t comment,’ the official added.
Police said they received a call saying that the boy was missing at 5:20 a.m. with the boy’s parents saying that Troy could have been missing as early as 4 a.m.
Cops were interviewing the parents for a missing persons’ report and decided to search the house after realizing there were no signs of a door or window being left open.
After being detained and interviewed separately, as ‘standard procedure,’ the boy’s mother and father were released, Minchew said.
Authorities are waiting on the medical examiner’s office to determine Troy’s cause of death.
THIS MORNING: I’m back in Spring, following up on yesterday’s heartbreaking story about 7yo Troy Khoeler.
He was found dead inside a washing machine by deputies in his home garage, hours after he was reported missing.
We spoke with his adopted dad on camera last night. @KHOU pic.twitter.com/P888B6KBeG— Michelle Choi (@MichelleKHOU) July 29, 2022
Boy was foster child prior to 2019 adoption
Troy who had previously been a foster child was adopted by his parents in 2019. Police said they could not find files indicating that the boy left in an abusive household following his adoption.
Neighbors told KPRC that the family had only moved into the residence two weeks ago. No other children live with the family.
Spring ISD confirmed Troy was a student in the district. One of his former teachers described him as a bright kid who was full of energy and who will be missed.
To date no arrests have been made as cops continue to investigate if Troy’s death was an accident, the result of negligence or criminal intent.
