Last week, authorities in Rock Island, Ill., made a shocking discovery when they found the body of a 10-year-old boy, Zion Staples, in a garbage can inside his mother’s garage.
The Rock Island Police Department launched an investigation into the suspicious death, leading to the arrest of the child’s mother, Sushi Staples, 37
Reports indicate that the body had been concealed in the trash for a chilling seven months before it was uncovered. Sushi Staples now faces multiple charges, including concealment of a death, failure to report the death of a child under 13, and obstruction of justice.
The autopsy conducted by Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson in Rockford, Ill., yielded preliminary results suggesting that Zion’s death is suspicious. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, further details have not been released at this time.
A neighbor expressed her astonishment at the lengthy period it took to locate the boy’s body. She questioned the clues that eventually led to the discovery and highlighted the unbearable stench even a dead raccoon in her backyard caused despite being properly disposed of in a garbage bag and can.
A woman whose tip led the authorities to the body spoke to TV6 and chose to remain anonymous
She revealed that she had contacted the Department of Children and Family Services multiple times in recent months after Sushi Staples made strange statements about her son, raising concerns about his well-being. Following a welfare check prompted by her call to DCFS on July 25, police finally discovered Zion’s body.
Neighbors Andre and Danielle Builta, who had moved in recently, recalled seeing a seemingly happy family at the house, with children playing in the yard and driveway.
Sushi Staples appeared in court last Friday, and she is currently being held on a $500,000 bond. Sushi Staples’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 15. It remains unclear whether Sushi Staples has entered a plea, and attempts to contact her attorney have been unsuccessful.
READ ALSO: Florida Dad Arrested In Connection To Tragic Dirt Bike Crash That Claimed Lives Of His Two Children