Second Suspect Arrested In Death of 5-Year-Old Boy

 

HOUSTON, TX – Houston authorities have confirmed a second suspect has been charged in connection to the death of five-year-old Samuel Olson.

According to the D.A., 28-year-old Benjamin Rivera helped Theresa Balboa move the boy's body to a storage unit in early May. Balboa was dating Samuel's father when he disappeared. Police later found Balboa inside a Jasper hotel room with Samuel's body stuffed into a plastic bin in late May.

Law enforcement confirmed a few days after  Balboa was arrested that Rivera, who was her roommate, had confirmed he helped her move the body.

Rivera told investigators that on May 10th, he received a call from Balboa who stated Samuel was dead. He then went to work and when he returned to the house he shared with Balboa, he found Samuel laying on the bed unresponsive. The boy's body appeared to have bruising.

Rivera and Balboa then placed Samuel in a bathtub where he remained for two days.

On May 13th, Rivera drove to Walmart and purchased duct tape and a plastic tote. He then helped Rivera wrap Samuel's body in a plastic sheet and into the tote bag. The duo then drove the body to a storage unit in Webster.

At this time Rivera and Balboa have both been charged with tampering with evidence - a human corpse.

Samuel's death has been ruled a homicide but additional details have not been released regarding the cause of death.

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