The parents of an Alabama teen whose remains were found in a backyard freezer have been charged in his death.
Logan Halstead, 19, was found dead Oct. 29. His parents, Michael Shane Halstead, 44, and Karen Tysinger Halstead, were initially charged with corpse abuse.
On Monday, Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship announced the couple is now charged with reckless manslaughter.
Logan Halstead had suffered from spina bifida as well as other conditions since birth.
The new warrants against the couple were obtained Monday.
According to charging documents, the parents “recklessly and consciously disregarded the treatment of Logan which resulted in his death.”
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Logan Halstead’s decomposed body was discovered that Sunday outside the family’s previous home on Bradford Drive in Headland.
According to court records, the teen’s body was wrapped in plastic bags, blankets and placed in a cardboard box. That box was then put in the freezer.
Blankenship said the sheriff’s office received a 911 call at 11:37 a.m. about a dead body at that location. When deputies arrived on scene, they found a decomposed body inside a freezer in the back yard of the home.
The sheriff said the victim may have died as early as July or August.
Blankenship said the family had moved away from the home - which they rented - more than a month ago. The owner had recently sold the property and the new owners were cleaning up when they made the gruesome discover.
They came upon the freezer in the backyard, and it was too heavy to load up on the trailer to move so they were going to clean it out before hauling it way.
When they opened it up and began moving things around, they saw a hand and immediately called 911.
The victim’s parents were taken into custody later that Sunday in Jack.
The Headland Police Department, the Dothan Police Department and Alabama State Troopers assisted in the investigation.
Michael Halstead is being held in the Henry County Jail on bonds totaling $275,000.
Karen Halstead is being held, also in the Henry County Jail, on $90,000 bond.
Their arraignment is set for Dec. 4.
The sheriff said the investigation is ongoing.
“This is a very complicated case, and our agency is committed to seeking justice for Logan,” Blankenship said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Henry County Task Force at 334-585-3131.