The body of the boy believed to be missing 6-year-old Samuel Olson was found wrapped in black plastic bags, tied with duct tape and stuffed into a plastic storage container, according to court documents filed in the case.
Houston police have arrested Theresa Balboa, the girlfriend of the boy’s father, and charged her with tampering with evidence after finding the body in a motel room in Jasper, Texas, more than 130 miles northeast of Houston, as CrimeOnline previously reported.
They are awaiting the medical examiner’s confirmation of the identity, but investigators strongly believe it is young Olson.
ABC13 reported that charges against Balboa could be upgraded soon, as she awaits her return to Harris County from Jasper.
The court documents provide new details in a baffling case: They say Balboa helped crews searching for the boy on Monday morning, and later that afternoon, she and a friend drove to Webster, 25 miles southeast of Houston, where they picked up a large plastic container.
The friend drove Balboa to Jasper, dropping her off at the Best Western motel. On the following day, the friend called police and told them where Balboa was.
Officers found the container with what they believe are the boy’s remains, wrapped in black plastic bags and duct tape.
Balboa reported Samuel Olson missing on May 27, saying the boy’s mother and a police officer came and demanded that she hand Sam over. The next day, police said they’d spoken with several family members and that there were “inconsistencies” in Balboa’s story. Additionally, the boy’s mother — Sarah Olson — had an alibi.
Sam’s birthday was May 29, and the day passed with no signs of him. On Monday, investigators searched Balboa’s apartment and seized her car. The following day, Sam’s paternal grandmother said they’d lost contact with Balboa and urged her to “bring Sam home.” That same day, a tip came through Crimestoppers saying Balboa was in Jasper.
Although the boy was reported missing in late May, investigators have said he could have been missing weeks earlier — his last day at school was April 30, and his grandmother said she last saw him on May 2.
Houston police also said that Balboa was out on bond for a November 2020 case in which she was charged with assaulting Samuel’s father, Dalton Olson.
Additionally, court records show that Balboa skipped a December 12, 2019, court hearing to determine who would have custody of her two daughters, now ages 6 and 8 — a hearing the girls’ father also missed. The court gave custody to another family member, who told Click2Houston that Balboa “wasn’t born to be a mom.”
Sarah Olson, Sam’s mother, told ABC13 through an attorney that she believed the boy’s father should also be arrested “because she feels 100 percent that they both have something to do with this.”
“So, she’s hoping, you know, praying that he also will be taken into custody so that justice can be done for Samuel,” said Marco Gonzalez.
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[Featured image: Samuel Olson and Theresa Balboa/police handout]
