HOUSTON — A Spring woman charged in the death of her 7-year-old son was in court Tuesday morning where her attorney requested a lower bond. A judge denied the request and Tiffany Thomas remains jailed on a $150,000, according to her attorney.
Troy Khoeler's body was found in a washing machine at the family's Spring home back in July after his parents reported him missing. Thomas, 35, and her husband Jemaine Thomas. 42, were arrested and charged on Nov. 15 after Troy's death was ruled a homicide.
She's charged with injury to a child by omission and he's charged with capital murder.
New details revealed
WARNING: The details revealed below are graphic.
Court documents revealed new details and said the couple had a "deep hatred" for the little boy they adopted.
The sheriff said an autopsy revealed that Troy suffered new and old injuries before his body was found.
According to court documents, Troy’s adoptive father intentionally and knowingly caused the 7-year-old’s death by submerging his nose and mouth underwater and hitting him with an unknown object.
Court documents also revealed that the boy’s adoptive mother intentionally and knowingly caused bodily injury by hitting Troy against an unknown object.
When deputies pulled the little boy from the washing machine, his arms and legs were warm, but his body was cold, according to court documents. They also noticed blood around his nose and a large bump on his forehead over the right eye.
Deputies noted that the boy’s clothing was damp and there was an odor of urine coming from the body. His pants also had been pulled down to his knees, exposing bruises to his upper legs.
Deputies spotted blood stains on a door frame in the kitchen and a cardboard box lid in the kitchen.
Investigators reviewed a text message thread between the couple, which revealed that the adoptive mother threatened Troy by telling him she was going to “put him in the stove and turn it on” if he did not admit to eating her oatmeal crème pies. The adoptive father responded, “I need to get the (locks). I’m going to end up kill(ing) him. You going to come home and he going to be hang(ing) from the tree outside.”
Another message from Jemaine Thomas said, “I’m for not doing (expletive) for his birthday. I’m so sick of this boy. Like, I’m really tired of him and don’t want him in this house no more.”
Court documents also revealed that there were two investigations by Child Protective Services prior to Troy's death. The investigations were initiated by school employees who spotted suspicious injuries, including blackened eyes and facial bruising.
What happened
On July 28, Troy was reported missing from his home before he was later found dead at that same home on Rosegate Drive in the Birnam Wood subdivision of Spring.
Jemaine Thomas said he could not find the 7-year-old after returning home just before midnight the night before. That’s when he said he noticed his front door was unlocked.
"It's just that I came home, I was fixin’ to walk in the door, like right now," he said. "I don't have my keys but I put my keys to the door handle and then it just opened. Anything else after that, I don't know."
The adoptive parents were detained and questioned on the day his body was found and they were later released.
Investigators said the Thomas' called 911 in the early morning hours of July 28 to report him missing. Just a few hours later, Precinct 4 deputies found his fully clothed and lifeless body inside the washing machine.
In July, a spokesperson with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services said "CPS does have history with the family."
Troy was a student at Spring ISD. The district released the following statement:
"Spring ISD continues to keep our thoughts and prayers for the students and staff directly affected by the passing of Troy Koehler. This remains a great loss for our district, and as more details become known, we will continue to provide ongoing counseling and grief services."