Theresa Balboa, a Texas woman convicted of capital murder in connection with the death of 5-year-old Samuel Olson, made a plea deal in a Houston court Wednesday.
Balboa was convicted of capital murder in the killing of her then-boyfriend’s child and subsequently providing false information. By entering into a plea agreement, she evaded the death penalty after a judge sentenced her to 52 years in prison, ABC 13 reports.
Samuel’s mother, Sarah Olson, disagreed with the decision, stating that the lengthy sentence is “not justice.”
“Today, she admitted to what she did for 52 years and the chance of parole in 26. My son didn’t even get six years of life, and she still gets a chance at one? This is not justice,” Sarah said.
“You took my life. I can never have closure because of the state the body was returned in. I could not hold him one last time.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, on May 27, 2021, Balboa told police that Sarah Olson and a man dressed as a policeman came to her Webster apartment and demanded Samuel. As Houston police investigated, they noted “inconsistencies” in Balboa’s statements and followed a trail of lies she spun in an attempt to evade culpability.
On June 1, 2021, Jasper police found Sam’s body inside a Best Western hotel in Jasper, after her roommate, Ben Rivera, voluntarily called in a tip to 911.
Sam was wrapped in sheets and placed inside a plastic tote, according to court documents. His body had been hidden in the hotel bathtub for days before he was placed in the tote, investigators said.
Murder charges against Balboa came after an autopsy revealed that Samuel died from homicidal violence. A medical examiner later ruled that he died after blunt trauma to his head.
Balboa will be eligible for parole consideration after serving 26 years, but the Director of Victim Services and Advocacy at Crime Stoppers of Houston, Andy Kahan, said that it spared Samuel’s family from enduring an emotional trial.
“The plea deal for child murderer Theresa Balboa was the best possible scenario for 5-year-old Samuel,” Kahan told CrimeOnline. “There was no need to put his family through a long, emotional trial without a guaranteed outcome.
“At the very least, the defendant will have to serve 26 calendar years, day by day, before becoming eligible for parole. I told Samuel’s family I will personally guarantee she will never breathe free air again. Today, justice was served for Samuel and his family.”
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[Feature Photo: Samuel Olson/Handout]
