Police said the child’s body was discovered after relatives contacted officers about the boy’s whereabouts.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A Flagstaff woman is accused of killing her 2-year-old son and keeping his body inside a freezer for several weeks before relatives alerted police, according to court records and investigators.
Flagstaff police said officers responded to an apartment after family members reported concerns about the child’s whereabouts and the mother’s behavior. Investigators said they later found the toddler’s body concealed in a freezer inside the residence. The woman was arrested and booked into the Coconino County jail on charges tied to the boy’s death.
Authorities said investigators believe the child died weeks before officers discovered his body. Court documents allege the mother gave conflicting accounts about what happened to the boy and when he was last seen alive. Police said detectives secured the apartment as a crime scene while forensic teams processed evidence and interviewed relatives, neighbors and other potential witnesses.
Neighbors in the apartment complex told reporters they had not seen the toddler outside for some time and became concerned after police vehicles surrounded the building. One resident said officers moved in and out of the apartment for hours carrying evidence bags and photographing the scene. “Everyone here is shaken,” a nearby tenant said. “It’s heartbreaking to think a child was inside there that whole time.”
Investigators have not publicly explained how the child died, and the medical examiner’s office is expected to determine the exact cause and manner of death after an autopsy. Police said detectives were reviewing electronic records, phone data and surveillance footage as part of the investigation. Authorities also were working to establish a detailed timeline covering the weeks before the body was found.
The case has drawn attention across northern Arizona because of the allegations that the child’s body remained hidden inside the apartment for an extended period. Child welfare records connected to the family had not been publicly released Tuesday, and officials declined to discuss whether state agencies had prior contact with the household. Prosecutors said additional charges could be considered as the investigation continues.
Police records show officers were first contacted after relatives became alarmed by inconsistent explanations about the toddler’s absence. Detectives said they later obtained enough evidence to arrest the woman on suspicion of homicide-related offenses. Court proceedings were expected to begin this week in Coconino County Superior Court, where a judge could address bond conditions and the formal filing of charges.
Outside the apartment complex Tuesday, residents left stuffed animals and flowers near the building entrance as investigators continued gathering evidence. Several neighbors said they could still see police tape around parts of the property hours after officers first arrived. Others described the case as one of the most disturbing incidents they could remember in the area.
The woman remained in custody Tuesday as investigators awaited autopsy findings and prepared additional evidence for prosecutors. The next court hearing is expected in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated May 19, 2026.