WACO, Texas — A Texas woman was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of her 2-year-old son, whose body was found in a trash bin a day after an Amber Alert was issued for the missing toddler.
Laura Sanchez, 35, of Waco, was charged with first-degree felony injury to a child with intent, according to an affidavit. She was arrested and booked into the McLennan County Jail on Tuesday, the Waco Tribune-Herald reported.
The body of Frankie Gonzales was discovered by police in a trash bin near Park Lake Baptist Churcha church about 2 miles from a park, KWTX reported. Sanchez told police her son disappeared after she turned away briefly when the boy went to a restroom, the television station reported.
Police said they discovered that the boy had never been at Cameron Park, KXXV reported.
“Frankie did not die of natural causes,” Garen Bynum, a spokesperson with the Waco Police Department, told reporters.
Waco police said during a news conference Tuesday that Sanchez apparently confessed her involvement in the boy’s disappearance to family members, who then called police, KXAS reported.
During an interview with investigators overnight, Waco police Officer Garen Bynum said the boy’s mom “may have broke a little bit” and that she then told investigators where they could find the child’s remain, the television station reported.
Sanchez led police to the dumpster where the body was found, KXXV reported.
According to an affidavit, Sanchez told police her son died while in her care on or around Thursday and she kept the body in her house until Saturday when she disposed of it in the trash bin, the Tribune-Herald reported.