7-year-old found dead in washing machine hours after he was reported missing

A 7-year-old Texas boy was found dead in a washing machine on Thursday morning, July 28, hours after he had been reported missing, police said.

Troy Khoeler was found inside a top load washing machine in the garage of his family’s home in Spring, Texas, around 7:20 a.m.

His adoptive parents had called 911 to report him missing two hours earlier, Harris County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Robert Minchew told reporters.

It’s not clear whether there was any water in the machine at the time.

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

Officials could not comment on whether foul play was suspected or if he had climbed into the machine himself but said he was clothed when he was found.

"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.

Police received a call that he was missing at 5:20 a.m. but Troy could have been missing as early as 4 a.m.

Cops were interviewing the parents for a missing persons’ report and decided to search the house after realizing there were no signs of a door or window being left open.

Troy lived alone in the house with his parents, who adopted him in 2019. He had previously lived in the home as a foster child.