Blu Rolland, from Arkansas, US, died three months ago at his family home but his body was only discovered last Friday – what is said to have been his sixth birthday.
An arrest affidavit filed Tuesday in Lee County Circuit Court says the youngster’s mother, Ashley Rolland, is in custody.
It claims she told police boyfriend Nathan Bridges allegedly killed her son.
She allegedly told police Bridges held her son’s head in a toilet bowl as “punishment” for biting his finger.
Bridges declined to be interviewed, the affidavit says.
Blu’s age was not immediately clear, Arkansas State Police said he was six years old, however court documents contradict this, saying he was born December 16, 2017.
The details of the discovery are particularly grim. According to the affidavit, police arrived at the home after being called by Karen Rolland, Blu’s grandmother.
Ashley Rolland brought out her daughter, who had “apparent injuries that had scabbed over on top of her head”, according to police.
Ashley then told Karen Rolland that Blu was “not at the residence”. After Karen Rolland rushed her granddaughter to hospital, she called police “to report she had information that Blu was possibly deceased,” according to the affidavit.
When police arrived, Ashley Rolland’s father, Timmy Childers, 62, told them that his daughter said that Blu was dead inside the home.
Officers entered the home and discovered “newly nailed-down boards” with “disturbed earth underneath”. Under the first layer of dirt they found a child’s flip flop and “the pungent odour of decay”, the affidavit reads.
After police received a search warrant they removed more flooring and dirt and discovered “an unidentified mass believed to be a small human body wrapped in multiple layers of plastic bags”, which was sent Arkansas State Crime Lab.
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The lab will release the cause of death in 30 to 60 days, according to its director Kermit Channell.
The Arkansas Department of Public Safety said: “Based on initial findings, it’s believed the boy died from injuries sustained in the home, possibly three months ago.
“The state medical examiner will determine the manner and cause of death.”
Ashley Rolland and Nathan Bridges are accused of capital murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, endangering the welfare of a minor and battery. Ashley Rolland also faces two felony charges of permitting child abuse.
Both appeared in court on Monday for a probable cause hearing, according to court documents, and are being held without bond. They are due to appear in court next on January 17 and have been appointed public defenders.
