The mother of 5-year-old Samuel Olson, who was found dead inside a plastic container in a Texas motel room in May, spoke out for the first time Tuesday night—and suggested her son’s father had something to do with the grisly crime. “I don’t see how he couldn’t, with all the evidence that has now been brought to light, how are you not involved?” said Sarah Olson, telling reporters that she has not seen her son since 2020. So far, only Theresa Balboa, the girlfriend of Samuel’s dad, Dalton Olson, has been charged in connection with the little boy’s murder.

Sarah Olson said that the experience has been heartbreaking and surreal but she is “taking it day-by-day.” “No one ever expects anything like this to happen. I’m trying to understand things,” Olson added. Police have said Samuel died around May 10, and allege Balboa and her roommate put the boy’s body in a bathtub for two days before moving it to a storage unit. Weeks later, she allegedly moved the remains from the storage unit to a motel room where she was ultimately arrested.