A Texas couple has been arrested for killing and dumping their three-week-old baby in a bucket of tar, police said. The parents of the child have been charged with multiple offences including abusing a corpse. Police arrested the couple after receiving a call regarding "mysterious circumstances" and later discovered the body of the child hidden in a bucket of tar.
The couple weaved multiple stories and told lies in an attempt to puzzle the detectives during interrogation but finally admitted to their crime. However, the exact reason behind the gruesome murder is still unknown and police are still investigating the case, which they feel may lead them to darker truths.
Ruthless Parents
Roland, 42, and Donna Grabowski, 41, were arrested last Saturday after they turned up in Dallas without their three-week-old son, Micah. Collin County Sheriff's Department said that deputies started tracking the pair after receiving a call regarding the "suspicious circumstances" revolving around the disappearance of their baby.
Police didn't disclose who or where the call was made from. They first detained the couple on suspicion and acting on the tip, went to their home last Saturday to investigate the couple's missing child, according to the Collin County Sheriff's Office. On searching, the baby was found in a five-gallon bucket of tar, following which the couple was arrested and interrogated.
Deceiving the Police
According to the police, deputies were shocked to discover the body of the infant and started an investigation. "I've seen a lot of crazy things, but this is the first time I've found a dead infant in a bucket of tar," said Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner. "And hopefully the last."
However, both Roland and Donna didn't cooperate during the interrogation. Instead, they started fabricating stories to mislead the detectives. The couple told detectives "numerous lies" during questioning, even claiming that a relative was looking after the baby. "There was an attempt to deceive us as to what had happened and the whereabouts of their child Micah," said Skinner.
Police said Donna also told investigators the baby had been born at the Medical Center of McKinney. However, police didn't find any record of her stay or the birth with the hospital. The couple even at one point tried to take help from a friend and texted him, asking to cover for them, and pretend that the friend's baby was Micah. "I need you to say your baby is ours. Quick in and out. They just need to see," read the text, according to the affidavit.
After days of questioning, the couple finally told that they found their child dead in their bed on July 29 and told friends that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. They then wrapped the baby in a blanket and submerged him into a five-gallon bucket of tar and put him in a shed behind the residence. However, police don't believe that and feel that the baby was killed by the parents and investigations are still on.
Roland appears on the Texas Public Sex Offender list as a "high" risk whose past convictions include sexual assaults of two girls, ages 12 and 14, in 2008. The couple is now facing a slew of felony charges ranging from tampering with evidence to abusing a corpse and child endangerment. They are each being held on $500,000 bond and more charges are to be filed.
