7-year-old missing boy from Houston found dead inside washing machine

A 7-year-old Houston boy who had been missing for hours was found dead inside his home’s washing machine.

Troy Khoeler was reported missing to the police by his adoptive parents at around 5:20 a.m., according to Harris County Sherriff’s Office Lt. Robert Minchew.  

When the police arrived at the Khoeler household to fill out a missing person’s report, they decided to search the house because there were no signs of a door or window that had been left open.

Troy was found inside a top-load machine of his family’s home in the Houston suburb of Spring, Texas at around 7:20 a.m., reported the police.

It is unclear whether there was water inside of the machine when the lid was closed. However, he was fully clothed when found.

Officials did not comment whether there was suspected foul play or if he had gotten into the machine by himself.

“We don’t know what happened, but we intend to find out,” Minchew said. 

“Whether he was killed by the washing machine or killed and placed in it, we’re just so far from that, I can’t comment,” he later said.

His parents were taken into custody separately for questioning. The Harris County Sherriff’s office will conduct a criminal investigation into the death.

Troy’s cause of death will be determined by the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Troy was adopted by his adopted parents in 2019. He had previously lived in with the family as a foster child.