Mother arrested for ‘murder’ after her 6-year-old son’s body was found in the trunk of a car during a police stop

Julissa Thaler is said to be in police custody and suspected of murdering her son Eli Hart, whose body was found in the trunk of a car in the town of Orono, Minnesota early Friday

The mother of a six-year-old boy whose body was found in the trunk of a car on Friday morning has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Police in the city of Orono, Minnesota, made the grim discovery during a traffic stop after noticing blood in the car while speaking to the driver.

A search of the vehicle resulted in Eli Hart’s body being found in the trunk. His mother, Julissa Thaler, is now in custody.

She had recently been given full custody of Eli, according to local US media. Another suspect is also in custody with charges pending.

The family started a GoFundMe help pay for the funeral expenses.

Court documents show that Eli Hart’s father, Tory Hart, had been fighting for custody of his son. Tory Hurt’s fiancee Josie Josephson told it fox 9 that the boy’s mother was struggling with drug addiction and mental health issues.

According to an email sent Saturday by Westonka Public Schools superintendent Kevin Borg, Hart was a kindergarten student at Shirley Hills Primary School in Mound.

“It is appalling and difficult to process a tragedy of this magnitude, especially in our close-knit community. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who are mourning this profound loss,” Borg wrote.

At 7 a.m. Friday, Orono Police responded to a 911 call about a suspicious vehicle driving with a smashed rear window on the rim. Police said they stopped a silver car with a matching description in Mound.

An officer noticed blood in the car while speaking to the driver, searched the vehicle and found the body of a boy inside the truck, according to Orono Police.

“It kind of shocks you, and our hearts go out to the victim and to the officers and first responders,” Orono Police Chief Correy Farniok said.

Investigators found the same car was previously at a Shell service station, where they found evidence, police said.

Police also searched an apartment complex.