A married couple in Texas have been arrested and charged after their infant son was found dead in a bucket of tar.
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office arrested 42-year-old Roland Grabowski and his wife Donna, 41, on Saturday when deputies were dispatched to a home in Princeton in response to a call about the possibility of an unreported death of a child, CBC affiliate KTVT reported.
Following their arrest, investigators found the body of the couple’s 1-week-old son, Micah, submerged in a bucket of tar in a shed located behind their residence, according to the outlet.
Law enforcement officials said the parents initially refused to cooperate with investigators, but told authorities following their arrest that they had found the boy dead in bed on July 29 and did not report it.
“There was an attempt to deceive us as to what had happened and the whereabouts of their child Micah,” Sheriff Jim Skinner told WFAA-TV. “It’s tragic and it’s sad enough any time we have the death of an infant. But it’s absolute reprehensible when you lie and deceive investigators as to the location of the body.”
In arrest warrants obtained by the outlet, authorities said the couple allegedly tried to get a friend to cover for them, writing in a text: “I need you to say your baby is ours. Quick in and out. They just need to see.”
The wife also told investigators that Micah was born at Medical Center of McKinney, but the hospital had no record of the birth, WFAA-TV reported.
Micah’s body has been turned over to the Collin County Medical Examiner, according to the news station. An investigation is ongoing.
Donna is currently facing four felony charges, including child endangerment, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence, according to the Collin County jail records. Her bond is set at $1,075,000. Her lawyer did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Roland, who is facing three similar charges, is being held in jail on a $925,000 bond. It’s unclear if he has retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
According to the Associated Press, Roland is registered as a sex offender for 2008 sexual assaults on two minor girls.
Source:People
