11-year-old Roman Lopez isn’t in bed when his mother-in-law wakes him up for breakfast. At first, the mother-in-law thought the shy 4-foot-8-inch boy was just hiding. He liked to do that. When he could not be found, a frantic search began. For two hours, Jordan and Lindsay Piper searched for Roman.

After the boy was reported missing to police, more than 40 people from Jordan Piper’s workplace joined in the search. The police searched the house in case the boy was in hiding. Neighbors helped police search the properties and outbuildings. Over 250 flyers were printed and distributed to restaurants, bars, parks and businesses across the city.

The search continued for more than 15 hours, and by nightfall Roman was still not located. The police again searched the family’s home. Lopez’s body is found in a storage bin in the basement. There is no obvious trauma, but it was discovered that he suffered from severe malnutrition and dehydration. Her father, Jordan Piper, and stepmother, Lindsay Piper, were arrested on charges that initially included murder, child abuse, poisoning and torture.

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[Featured Photo: Roman Lopez/Handout]