GUILTY VA - Noah Thomas, 5, Pulaski County, 22 March 2015 #2

[Luvrosco]

Not necessarily. Could have just been a person telling them about the septic tank and asked if they had checked.it.

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Daisy, I was thinking the same thing.

 

[courtneyb]

I feel like they are hoping to coax a confession from someone. Saying publicly, don't blame the family, then announcing they have autopsy results but don't set a PC to announce them. Seems to me that they would have told the family of the preliminary results of it were conclusively accidental. And, I think the Internet would have blown up with people having heard from the family. You know how fast word travels, especially if the parents were exonerated, I would think. Saying they have results but delaying announcing them seems to me to be a tactic to put pressure on whomever they suspect.


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[Tillicum]

The sanitation truck that removed the sewage has been impounded by the FBI.
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/sanitation-technician-describes-discovery-of-noah-thomas/32052894

What do they expect to find? They already have Noah. Evidence? Weapon? Blanket?

 

[QueenD]

What do they expect to find? They already have Noah. Evidence? Weapon? Blanket?

Can you imagine having that job to sift through that crap, literally.




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[QueenD]

@KSuri: Cause of death is in, for #NoahThomas but Pulaski County Sheriff Office says unlikely to release results until "Monday at the earliest"




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[passionflower]

@KSuri: Cause of death is in, for #NoahThomas but Pulaski County Sheriff Office says unlikely to release results until "Monday at the earliest"




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why Monday or later?
If he drowned wouldn't that be told immediately?
Are they waiting on tox reports?

 

[courtneyb]

why Monday or later?
If he drowned wouldn't that be told immediately?
Are they waiting on tox reports?

Tox takes much longer. Must be something obvious... Drowning or obvious intentional injury. Ugh...

 

[iamnotagolem]

I wonder if opening up the timeline is what made someone call in with the tip. Originally it was stated that mom looked in on Noah at 9:30, once that pushed back to 7-7:30 maybe someone realized they were the last one to see Noah and had seen him near the septic tank. Or once LE stated that he was last seen by family Saturday night, they remembered seeing flashlights and people moving about in the dark Saturday night.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I was curious so I googled 'child accidentally drowns in septic tank' and I couldn't believe how many cases came up. Some were toddlers on up to Noah's age and older.

I never realized how dangerous some septic tanks can be.

 

[cvillemegan]

I am 98 percent sure if either of the parents intentionally harmed him and then put the body in the septic tank, we'd know it by now. They'd be in custody, and with reporters hanging out in the area and monitoring this case so closely, one of them would have found out and released the info even if the sheriff didn't announce it.

But what if he died accidentally while mom was asleep, and she panicked and hid the body? The "credible tip" was her confessing? I think someone here mentioned she could be charged with harming a corpse (I can't remember the exact term) and likely would also be charged with impeding the investigation for not admitting this sooner. But would those charges come immediately? Would she be held in jail or just have a court date?

I DO NOT think this is what happened, but I'm not completely ruling out any scenario. When I first saw the story about the tip, I thought Noah had intentionally been placed in the tank by someone who harmed him but then called in the tip anonymously (or had someone else do it), hence no arrest yet. But after seeing so many here support the other child theory, I'm considering that a strong possibility. I wonder if this child kept it a secret for days out of fear of being in trouble, then finally confessed to a parent (maybe before school Thursday morning), and the parent immediately called it in.

The thing that gets me about that scenario is if the child had yelled and run for help to begin with, Noah likely could have been pulled out in time.

And if the tank's lid only weighed two pounds and wasn't bolted down (and we don't know if it was or wasn't), I still wonder why investigators didn't lift it AND drain the tank sooner.

This is a heartbreaking story. By all accounts, he looks and sounds like such a sweet little guy.

 

[deugirtni]

Forgive me for adding fuel to the fire.. but.. in the beginning.. don't I recall reading from a news article posted here (but can't be found now) that police were familiar with the address, or something like that?? I'm pretty sure it was this case, I don't follow that many. I can't find it anywhere now though, even after going back to the beginning to look for it. It was said in such a way that it wasn't really accusatory to the parents, but perhaps more the address? Does anyone happen to remember this, or am I just imagining things? TY!!

 

[blue22]

I am 98 percent sure if either of the parents intentionally harmed him and then put the body in the septic tank, we'd know it by now. They'd be in custody, and with reporters hanging out in the area and monitoring this case so closely, one of them would have found out and released the info even if the sheriff didn't announce it.

But what if he died accidentally while mom was asleep, and she panicked and hid the body? The "credible tip" was her confessing? I think someone here mentioned she could be charged with harming a corpse (I can't remember the exact term) and likely would also be charged with impeding the investigation for not admitting this sooner. But would those charges come immediately? Would she be held in jail or just have a court date?

I DO NOT think this is what happened, but I'm not completely ruling out any scenario. When I first saw the story about the tip, I thought Noah had intentionally been placed in the tank by someone who harmed him but then called in the tip anonymously (or had someone else do it), hence no arrest yet. But after seeing so many here support the other child theory, I'm considering that a strong possibility. I wonder if this child kept it a secret for days out of fear of being in trouble, then finally confessed to a parent (maybe before school Thursday morning), and the parent immediately called it in.

The thing that gets me about that scenario is if the child had yelled and run for help to begin with, Noah likely could have been pulled out in time.

And if the tank's lid only weighed two pounds and wasn't bolted down (and we don't know if it was or wasn't), I still wonder why investigators didn't lift it AND drain the tank sooner.

This is a heartbreaking story. By all accounts, he looks and sounds like such a sweet little guy.

I'm really not sure why it's so easy to assume if LE believed they did it, they would be arrested by now. They have a strange story and a body. As of right now, they might not have any evidence of who put him there. You can't arrest someone, just because you don't like their story. Personally, I think LE is slowly squeezing them and using the autopsy results to really put the pressure on. JMO

 

[hisjerseygirl]

I don't think someone calling the tip line and suggesting they look in the septic tank would be considered "a credible tip". To me a credible tip includes information that specifies why LE should look somewhere. I'm assuming someone saw something that they didn't realize they saw until some time had passed, or perhaps someone said something to someone that suddenly clicked.

I don't think he ended up in there by accident.

I think the sheriff knows that, and is acting fiercely protective of the family to make them feel safe with him. Catching more flies with honey than vinegar, so to speak.

I also think he's feeling defensive that Noah wasn't found sooner. This leads me to believe the septic tank opening was intact, so they had no reason to think he had gotten in there.

*If* this was an accident, is it possible he died from suffocation related to toxic sewage gases rather than drowning? I assume that is part of the toxicology and laboratory reports they're waiting for.

wholeheartedly agree. you summed it up in the simplest of forms - it most likely wasn't an accident, and that will come out.

 

[hisjerseygirl]

I'm really not sure why it's so easy to assume if LE believed they did it, they would be arrested by now. They have a strange story and a body. As of right now, they might not have any evidence of who put him there. You can't arrest someone, just because you don't like their story. Personally, I think LE is slowly squeezing them and using the autopsy results to really put the pressure on. JMO

i agree. if they believe the parents did it, they want to press them as much as possible. maybe coax a confession, one to turn on the other, whatever. if they're not releasing autopsy results today, seems like there's more to the story. this is a complicated case.

 

[CatsInTheCradle]

I don't think someone calling the tip line and suggesting they look in the septic tank would be considered "a credible tip". To me a credible tip includes information that specifies why LE should look somewhere. I'm assuming someone saw something that they didn't realize they saw until some time had passed, or perhaps someone said something to someone that suddenly clicked.

I don't think he ended up in there by accident.

I think the sheriff knows that, and is acting fiercely protective of the family to make them feel safe with him. Catching more flies with honey than vinegar, so to speak.

I also think he's feeling defensive that Noah wasn't found sooner. This leads me to believe the septic tank opening was intact, so they had no reason to think he had gotten in there.

*If* this was an accident, is it possible he died from suffocation related to toxic sewage gases rather than drowning? I assume that is part of the toxicology and laboratory reports they're waiting for.

I agree with this. Didn't a local poster comment about all the police cars heading quickly to a location and was worried it might be to that address right before pictures started being posted of police activity around the home? I don't think a suggestion to LE would command that much attention and full court press. I actually think the Sheriff would have said that they had already checked the home and property 3 times. I think the lead is more than just a casual comment. JMO

 

[Sweetgrits]

If they believe its the parents or another child wouldn't they want to pick them up right away? Now that they've found Noah's body and they believe the mom is guilty I would be afraid not to charge her and take her to jail in case she decides to commit suicide over the guilt.

JMO

 

[courtneyb]

I'm really not sure why it's so easy to assume if LE believed they did it, they would be arrested by now. They have a strange story and a body. As of right now, they might not have any evidence of who put him there. You can't arrest someone, just because you don't like their story. Personally, I think LE is slowly squeezing them and using the autopsy results to really put the pressure on. JMO

Me too. I think they know he was put in the tank. Now they are just trying to press a bit to see if they can get the who and why. Give them a little rope, as they say. I think they know the person responsible is no danger to the community and they are watching them closely. I think the tip was from someone who saw someone go back out to the septic tank to "check on things". As guilty people are liable to do. I hope this WAS an accident but they way the LE IS ACTING "coy" (for lack of a better term)with their info, distresses me.

 

[matou]

Hmmmm. I just realized that if Noah was killed either accidentally or on purpose by a parent, the other children in his family would likely be taken away from parental custody, for their safety.

 

[deugirtni]

Whatever the autopsy revealed, which definitely would have revealed either drowning, or death before going into the tank, police know... but if someone *had* intentionally harmed him and then put the body in the tank... the parents wouldn't necessarily be in custody right now, because police may not yet have all of the proof they need in order to make that arrest.

I'm wondering if they are waiting until 'at the earliest Monday', because they now *know* the COD, and will be investigating whatever their theory is as a result of those findings. Why else not publish the results NOW? No matter what the COD is, it isn't going to make the parents either guilty or innocent in itself. Either way, if he drowned, or if he was dead first, it won't absolve them nor convict them. But... if police now have concrete information to put before someone, it may beg more explanation from a certain someone, more seeking proof of something perhaps through seeking more CCTV, or interviews, etc. More tips to perhaps follow up on. I'm really relieved that FBI is involved, and not just the locals.

I am 98 percent sure if either of the parents intentionally harmed him and then put the body in the septic tank, we'd know it by now. They'd be in custody, and with reporters hanging out in the area and monitoring this case so closely, one of them would have found out and released the info even if the sheriff didn't announce it.

But what if he died accidentally while mom was asleep, and she panicked and hid the body? The "credible tip" was her confessing? I think someone here mentioned she could be charged with harming a corpse (I can't remember the exact term) and likely would also be charged with impeding the investigation for not admitting this sooner. But would those charges come immediately? Would she be held in jail or just have a court date?

I DO NOT think this is what happened, but I'm not completely ruling out any scenario. When I first saw the story about the tip, I thought Noah had intentionally been placed in the tank by someone who harmed him but then called in the tip anonymously (or had someone else do it), hence no arrest yet. But after seeing so many here support the other child theory, I'm considering that a strong possibility. I wonder if this child kept it a secret for days out of fear of being in trouble, then finally confessed to a parent (maybe before school Thursday morning), and the parent immediately called it in.

The thing that gets me about that scenario is if the child had yelled and run for help to begin with, Noah likely could have been pulled out in time.

And if the tank's lid only weighed two pounds and wasn't bolted down (and we don't know if it was or wasn't), I still wonder why investigators didn't lift it AND drain the tank sooner.

This is a heartbreaking story. By all accounts, he looks and sounds like such a sweet little guy.

 

[blue22]

Hmmmm. I just realized that if Noah was killed either accidentally or on purpose by a parent, the other children in his family would likely be taken away from parental custody, for their safety.

We don't know that they haven't been or aren't being now.