A couple has been arrested and charged four months after their seven-year-old foster son was found dead in a washing machine, the Harris County sheriff said on Tuesday, per ABC 13.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirmed that 42-year-old Jemaine Thomas was charged with capital murder and Tiffany Thomas, 35, with injury to a child by omission after authorities discovered the dead body of their foster son, Troy Koehler, in a washing machine at the family's home in Spring, Texas, on July 28 after he was reported missing.

It was confirmed following an autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Science that Troy's death was a homicide. He was said to have "suffered new and previous injuries," according to Gonzalez.

It has been reported by NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston that court documents state that the youngster endured asphyxiation, blunt-force trauma and possible drowning and that police said he had sustained injuries to his face and several bruises.

Investigators also discovered blood on the washing machine and in other parts of the home, per KPRC.

The documents say that officers arrived at the scene at about 5:20AM and that Jemaine and Tiffany told them their son had been missing since 4AM. Police found him inside a top-load washing machine in the garage.

Per documents, the couple was upset that Troy had eaten some of Tiffany's oatmeal cream pies and threatened to put him in an oven until he confessed. The docs also state that the seven-year-old had eaten Jemaine's doughnut sticks.

Text messages obtained by KPRC show that Jemaine wrote the following when he found out the little one had eaten the sweet treats: “I need to get the [locks]. I’m going to end up kill[ing] him.”

According to the outlet, Troy, a foster child, was adopted in 2019.

Per online jail records, Tiffany is being held on $150,000 bond and has a court date set for Thursday. Officials said she did not appear in court upon her arrest "for mental health reasons."

Jemaine is listed as an inmate in Harris County Jail records - no charges were mentioned. Police said his bond has been set at $2 million.

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New details have been released about the life of a morbidly obese seven year old, as his parents are charged with his murder.

As previously reported, Damien O’Brien, 40, and his wife Jessica O’Brien, 41, were charged with second-degree murder, as well as second-degree child abuse and torture, relating to their late son Casper.

The seven-year-old died weighing 255lbs, and it was claimed he never attended school and only saw a doctor once in his life.

Police had responded to a 911 call for a child in distress at the family’s home in Flint Township, Michigan on November 4, 2025, where they found Casper severely ill.

Casper O'Brien died at the age of seven. Credit: Sharp Funeral Homes

The young boy was rushed to a local hospital where he died shortly afterward from dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease that leads to heart failure, with a contributing cause being morbid obesity, per the medical report cited by the New York Post.

New reports state that Casper had gained 151lbs in less than two years before his death, after being fed a "steady diet of snack foods".

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Monday, per the New York Post: "Clearly the parents were feeding the child improperly, to say the least. He wasn’t getting the nutrition he needed."

Tragically, Leyton also revealed that authorities believe Casper was nonverbal as well as bedridden and covered with bedsores and various rashes before he passed away.

Leyton added: "It’s a very, very sad and tragic situation. I’ve been the prosecuting attorney for 22 years and I thought I’d seen it all but I’ve never seen anything quite like this."

The Genesee County Medical Examiner’s report listed Casper's cause of death as "dilated cardiomyopathy", a condition that affects the heart's ability to pump blood, with his weight also being a contributing factor to his death.

Casper's autopsy report, which also cited law enforcement and Child Protective Services, claimed the family's home was filled with trash and that Casper was not given medical care despite the family having health insurance.

His autopsy report states that Casper was taken to the doctor once in February 2024, when he weighed 104lbs.

Casper's records state he was 4'2" tall at the time of his death, and weighed 255 pounds - far exceeding the healthy weight for a child of his age and height, which the CDC says should be between 50 and 73 pounds.

Prosecutors say that Casper suffered "extraordinary, terrible neglect" at the hands of his parents - who also have a five-year-old daughter - throughout his short life.

Leyton told WJRT: "On the face of it, this is cruel and extreme suffering from this child caused by the neglect of the parents.

"That is obesity. This child did not have a pediatrician, was only taken to the doctor I believe … once."

Leyton added: "None of these kids even existed in the eyes of the government. CPS had never been out there, nobody knew about these kids, they had not been to school.

"I can’t think of what else this is, other than extraordinary, terrible neglect. And to me, that is willful and wanton misconduct, which is second-degree murder."

A funeral tribute posted in November described Casper as a "bright, loving young boy whose joyful spirit touched everyone around him."

The message added: "He loved watching Super Monsters, especially his favorite character, Frankie Mash.

"He was preceded in death by his little brother, Phoenix."

An attorney for Damien O’Brien told the outlet that his client was “innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”

The O'Briens are being held at the Genesee County Jail without bond until their next court appearance on July 2.

Featured image credit: Sharp Funeral Homes

A seven-year-old boy stayed by his mother's side for 12 hours after she was tragically killed in a car crash.

Authorities say the woman lost control of her Subaru Crosstrek while driving home to Tollhouse from a friend's house.

The vehicle veered off Highway 168 at Qualls Prather Road in Auberry and plummeted down an embankment, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

"Vehicle traveled off the embankment, rolled over multiple times," a first responder reported.

Both the mother and child were ejected from the car.

Tragically, the mother succumbed to her injuries, while the young boy remained by her side attempting to keep warm for approximately 12 hours until he was found.

CHP Officer John Marsh detailed how the boy was discovered: "We got a call of a child walking on the four-lane section of the 168, and the parties who found the child basically walked down to where the crash had happened," cited by ABC6 news.

Loved ones had reported the pair missing when they failed to arrive home after midnight.

By 8:45AM Sunday, a "be on the lookout" alert was issued. The child was spotted just before noon, leading authorities to the crash site.

Officer Marsh revealed the extent of the wreckage, stating: "It was basically sitting in a grove of trees, covered and not visible from the highway."

Investigators believe neither the mother nor her son were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.

"He said he was in a car seat that he did not fall out of," a first responder confirmed.

The seven-year-old was transported to Valley Children's Hospital, where he received treatment for multiple injuries, including a broken arm. He has since been reunited with his father.

First responders praised the boy’s resilience, describing him as remarkably strong and in high spirits despite the tragedy.

The crash remains under investigation as authorities await toxicology results to determine whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the accident.

Featured image credit: Douglas Sacha / Getty

Michigan parents have been charged with murder after their seven-year-old son died weighing 255 pounds, according to prosecutors.

Damien O'Brien, 40, and Jessica O'Brien, 41, were charged with second-degree murder, torture, and multiple counts of second-degree child abuse following the death of their son, Casper O'Brien.

The charges stem from an investigation into the child's death after emergency services were called to the family's home in November 2025.

According to police, Jessica O'Brien contacted 911 shortly before 9:00AM to report that her son was not breathing.

First responders performed CPR before transporting Casper to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The Genesee County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Casper died from dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes the heart to become enlarged and weakened, with morbid obesity listed as a contributing factor.

The 67th District Court on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, in Flushing.

According to an autopsy report, the seven-year-old was last seen by his primary care doctor in February 2024 and was referred to a pediatric endocrinologist.

Prosecutors allege that the appointment never took place.

Court records also allege that the couple failed to obtain appropriate medical care for their son despite having health insurance.

The autopsy report stated that Casper's diet reportedly consisted primarily of potato chips and fries due to texture sensitivities.

Investigators further alleged that the family was living in what police described as deplorable conditions.

Officers reported finding large amounts of trash throughout the property, while court documents claim the home's only toilet was not functioning and was filled with feces.

Authorities also said several dogs found inside the residence required medical attention.

According to police reports, Casper was autistic and did not attend school.

His five-year-old sister was later removed from the home by Child Protective Services.

Speaking about the case, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said: "Nobody knew these kids existed."

"I don't want to charge parents with neglect or murder. I didn't have any choice," he added during a press conference.

The O'Briens are due back in court in July as the case proceeds.

An attorney representing the couple had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of writing.

Following his death, Casper was remembered in an obituary as "a bright, loving young boy whose joyful spirit touched everyone around him."

The notice added that he loved watching 'Super Monsters' and especially enjoyed the character Frankie Mash.

If convicted, the O’Briens could face life in prison.