TX - Troy Khoeler, 7, found dead inside washing machine, Spring, July 2022 *arrests*

[Mamastill]

Wait, so mom was at work until she arrived home from the late shift at hospital
mom night sh

Wait, so mom was at work until she arrived home from the late shift at hospital
mom night shift

and dad just came home before midnight but couldn't find Troy and his front door was unlocked. But nobody reported this child missing until 7:20am? Yeah, this is all kinds of smelly

ift

and dad just came home before midnight but couldn't find Troy and his front door was unlocked. But nobody reported this child missing until 7:20am? Yeah, this is all kinds of smelly

"Thomas said Troy was nowhere to be found in the home. That was when at around 5:30 a.m., he was reported missing.

Later, at around 7 a.m. deputies with the Harris County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office conducted a search around the neighborhood, then searched inside the home. Troy’s body was then found inside a top-loading washing machine."

Adoptive father of 7-year-old who died inside washing machine speaks out

Appears LE waited an 1 1/2 hours to start their search?

 

[Mamastill]

I noticed that too. But I think the laundry area may just be sectioned off by a wall, in the garage. The door next to the machines has a deadbolt, so it's probably a door between the house and the garage.

My laundry room is in my garage. It's an entirely separate room within the garage.

 

[Mamastill]

It is strange wording too. My husband and I had 'a history with CPS' too. But only because we adopted two children in private newborn adoptions. So they did home studies and visits to the home until it was finalised.> Nothing negative in our history.

So technically we do have 'a history' with CPS. But a CPS worker saying that in an interview makes it sound like it was a bad history with CPS, at first thought.

CPS does what CPS wants. Idk what happened to the child, but I do know that kids are very curious. I'm hoping this was a very tragic accident.

 

[soap mama]

Most times, what LE doesn't say, speaks the loudest. Like the gap between midnight and 4am, don't know when mom came home, lack of info about whether the machine had been run.
<modsnip>

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Whether the machine was run or not, people could still speculate in all directions, IMO.

Perhaps LE is waiting to see how these details match the autopsy results, the interviews with his parents, etc.

 

[TenaciousTBacon]

I wish we'd hear some news. Maybe there are things going on behind the scenes.

 

[dulcinea]

Whether the machine was run or not, people could still speculate in all directions, IMO.

Perhaps LE is waiting to see how these details match the autopsy results, the interviews with his parents, etc.

Agreed. I have been wondering if Troy was wet when he was found, but that opens up multiple possibilities that don't point in a single direction. Then I thought about how if he was dry that doesn't point in a specific direction, either. At least not with the information we currently have.

 

[flowermountains]

However that kid died I hope it was fast and minimal fear.
Thats awful, whether he died in the machine or not.

 

[evilwise]

I'm in the positional asphyxia camp. I think he was hiding in the washer. What was he hiding from? <modsnip> In my state it's actually illegal to leave children that young home alone at night but I see it isn't in Texas.

 

[Mamastill]

Front loaders pose the most risk for small children, but, if it's an older top loader without the new safety mechanisms, it's possible he crawled in there and suffocated.

"A disturbing number of kids—more than 2,000 each year—are seriously hurt, and a few die, after reaching, climbing, or falling into washers and dryers or toppling down from them"

Laundry-room dangers to toddlers and young children

 

[DeDee]

In my state it's actually illegal to leave children that young home alone at night but I see it isn't in Texas.

psbm ^

That's strange but that's why it wasn't illegal for the mother to be at work while the dad was out of the house without a babysitter. Troy was legally able to he home alone.

In TX, children cannot be left alone inside a vehicle longer than 5 min.

Under Texas Penal Code 22.10, it is illegal to leave a child alone in a motor vehicle for more than five minutes, if the child is younger than 7 and is not accompanied by someone 14 or older.

What Guidelines Should Be Considered to Leave the Child Home Alone?​

Although some states specify an age appropriate for legally leaving the child home alone. Most states do not expressly state an age. Therefore, states in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services have formulated some guidelines to assist parents who are making this decision:

• Ages 7 and under: Cannot be left alone at home during any period of the time. This includes leaving them unattended in the cars, backyards and playgrounds. This is a vulnerable age and their would be a high risk to their safety;
• Ages 8 to 10: are permitted to be home alone only during daylight and early morning hours for no later than 1 and ½ hours;
• Ages 11 to 12: can be left alone during the day for up to 3 hours but not late at night;
• Ages 13 to 15: are permitted to be left unsupervised, but not overnight and;
• Ages 16 to 17: can be left unsupervised for up to 2 days.

https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/when-is-leaving-a-child-at-home-alone-illegal.html​

 

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[BigTexas]

Something that I could see a kid doing, as I used to scare my dad all of the time (haha), is that maybe he got in the washer because he was planning on jumping out at dad and scaring him when dad got home from work (as a prank). And it would make sense as a spot that would be close to where dad would first enter the house (garage).

Personally, I never hopped into the washer, but I hid behind the front door all of the time.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

maybe he got in the washer because he was planning on jumping out at dad and scaring him when dad got home from work

I don't think we know yet where his father was (whether work or elsewhere). I can see your idea except...in the middle of the night? Most 7-year-olds wouldn't be awake, IMO. It would help to know more about the timeline.

 

[meanmaryjean]

I just cannot get past the fact that this child was (seemingly) left home alone at age 7.

 

[katydid23]

I just cannot get past the fact that this child was (seemingly) left home alone at age 7.

In the article it said:

Jermaine Thomas was seen moments after he was dropped off by a Harris County Pct. 4 Constable deputy after he was questioned. He told KPRC 2′s, Brandon Walker, that he came home after work looking for his wife and found the door was already unlocked.

Adoptive father of 7-year-old who died inside washing machine speaks out

The adopted father of 7-year-old Troy Khoeler, who was found dead inside a washing machine at his home, spoke out about his’s son’s death Thursday evening.

www.click2houston.com

I had not seen it said before that he was 'looking for his wife' when he came home. So that means he didn't know she had gone to work a late shift at work.

So when he did come home at midnight and find the door unlocked and his wife not home---then what did he think? I would go and quickly check my 7 yr old's room if my husband wasn't home as I expected him to be.

Maybe he did do that but assumed he was with his wife somewhere?

Wouldn't she have left him a note at the very least, saying she got called in to work , but their son was sleeping?

So many questions still about the timeline...It could just be a simple lack of communication. He assumed they were together somewhere else and he went to sleep. Mom comes home from work and asks where the boy is and he says I thought he was with you ?

 

[tlcya]

Knowing the parents work schedules would be helpful.

ETA. we don't know if mom and dad were regularly scheduled to be at work at the same time, if their shifts have some small period of crossover that requires Troy be left home alone sometimes briefly, if them both seemingly out of the house at work at same time is an unusual circumstance, etc.

Still hoping for more info. Still basically sitting on hands here til there is more we can discuss.

 

[Dpdan]

Is it possible that the father dropped the mother off at work?

And is it possible that they had a washing machine in the laundry room as well as the garage - perhaps there was one installed in the house when they moved in, but they also brought / bought their own?

It's peculiar that the neighbourhood was searched before the house, is that usual practice?

 

[Allabouttrial]

Is it possible that the father dropped the mother off at work?

And is it possible that they had a washing machine in the laundry room as well as the garage - perhaps there was one installed in the house when they moved in, but they also brought / bought their own?

It's peculiar that the neighbourhood was searched before the house, is that usual practice?

From @katydid23 post above "Brandon Walker, that he came home after work looking for his wife and found the door was already unlocked."

Going off this comment, I don't believe he dropped her off at work.

 

[katydid23]

Is it possible that the father dropped the mother off at work?

And is it possible that they had a washing machine in the laundry room as well as the garage - perhaps there was one installed in the house when they moved in, but they also brought / bought their own?

It's peculiar that the neighbourhood was searched before the house, is that usual practice?

Yes, it is the usual practice to focus first on surrounding area because they can catch up to a child quickly, hopefully, and so the sooner you begin that search the better.