HOUSTON – As new details about the body of a child found at a Jasper motel believed to be that of 5-year-old Samuel Olson come to light, his father Dalton, through his attorney Samuel Veenstra, denies being involved.
”He had nothing to do with the death of his son,” said Veenstra. “(The) family is in mourning, shocked and in disbelief.”
He said the family is seeking answers as to what happened and why.
Olson’s attorney also saying right now”... they’re wanting answers as to what happened and why.”
Dalton’s girlfriend, 29-year-old Theresa Balboa has been charged with tampering with evidence in the case.
Court documents reveal that the child was dead two weeks before his father reported him missing to law enforcement. The child’s body was at an apartment that Balboa shared with a roommate in Webster for days before she allegedly took the body to a storage facility and later to a motel in Jasper, per court documents.
Police said Wednesday that they believe the child’s body is Samuel’s, but that is the medical examiner’s determination to make, they said.
“It’s crazy that something like that could happen so close, especially having a newborn I couldn’t imagine losing my kid,” said Tiffany Schultz, a new neighbor.
Schultz said she remembered seeing police in the area and is in shock about what happened.
”I was hoping that the baby boy was returned home safe and sound and I’m just hoping for justice to the family,” Schultz said.
Balboa was charged Tuesday night with tampering with evidence after a child’s body. She was jailed and is expected to be extradited from Jasper County Jail to Harris County Thursday, according to Houston police.
Balboa and others may face additional charges, as appropriate, police said.
More details revealed
Charging documents also revealed Thursday that Balboa’s roommate told investigators that he was called by Balboa on May 10 and was told that Samuel was dead. The roommate said he left for work and later returned to the residence and found Samuel laying on the bed unresponsive, according to court documents. He said he noticed bruising on the child’s body, according to court documents.
The roommate said that he and Balboa placed the body of the child in the bathtub where he remained for two days, according to court records. On May 13, the roommate said he bought duct tape and a plastic tote from Wal-Mart and that he and Balboa wrapped Samuel’s body in a plastic sheet, placed it into a tote bag, and put the body in his vehicle, according to court documents. He said he and Balboa drove to a storage unit located at 16650 Highway 3 in Webster, Texas, according to court documents.
Finding the body
On Tuesday, around 5 p.m., Jasper Police Department received a Crime Stoppers tip related to a kidnapping case from Houston surrounding Samuel, according to court documents. The tipster also noted that Balboa was in possession of the missing child’s body described as Samuel, according to court documents.
Around 5:34 p.m., Jasper police responded to the motel room, which was registered under a different name, where investigators found the body of a child and Balboa hiding in the bathroom, according to court documents. Surveillance video showed a man and Balboa taking the tote bag from a truck into the hotel, according to court docs. The man who assisted Balboa said she called him for help on Monday after being involved in an altercation, according to court documents. The man then stated that he was the one who tipped off Crime Stoppers after helping Balboa removed the container from the storage unit to the motel room on Tuesday, according to court documents.
Balboa out on bond from assault case
Balboa, who is currently in the Jasper County Jail, was out on bond from an assault case in November, police disclosed Wednesday. She was charged with assault with intent impeding breath, and Samuel’s father was the complainant in the case.
Andy Kahan, of Crime Stoppers, views the case as another example of the failure of bond reform, “I don’t know what it is going to take but something has to give,” says Kahan.
It didn’t give in the legislature this past session. Key bond reform legislation sailed through the Senate but died in the house.
“It’s devastating to the community that this bill wasn’t voted on in the Texas House,” Kahan said
State Sen. Paul Bettencourt says the proposed legislation is designed to keep the public safe, by keeping judges in check with specific guidelines when evaluating a defendant’s bond status. The goal to cut down on a revolving door of crime in many instances.
KPRC 2 Investigates asked Bettencourt how will the house gets its act together in order for both sides to find a compromise?
“The Governor is going to put this on the call for a special session and the house is going to have to take a vote,’' Bettencourt said.
No special session is on the books, but one is expected for late summer.
The bottom line for Bettencourt? “It’s got to stop and I don’t care if you’re Democrats or Republicans, this is now that the public expects.”
