Mom accused of stuffing son’s dead body in freezer maintains innocence in plea
HENRY COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) — A woman accused of causing the death of her 19-year-old special needs son is claiming she’s innocent.
Karen Tysinger Halstead pled not guilty to the charges of corpse abuse and reckless manslaughter on Wednesday, May 22.
Karen and her husband, 44-year-old Micheal Shane Halstead, who is facing the exact charges, were both indicted by a Henry County Grand Jury earlier this month.
According to the indictments, the Halsteads caused the death of their special needs son, 19-year-old Logan Michael Halstead, by neglecting him. The indictments go on to say that after Logan was dead, his parents wrapped his dead body in plastic bags and blankets before stuffing him in a freezer.
The freezer and body were found in the backyard of a Headland trailer formally rented by the Halsteads in late October 2023.
Sheriff Eric Blankenship told WDHN it is believed Logan Halsead’s body was put in the freezer in late August 2023, not long before the Halstead family moved from Headland to Jack, Alabama. The new renters found the body while cleaning the property.
Investigators say Logan suffered from Spinal Bifida.
The Halsteads were initially only charged with abuse of a corpse, but court documents claim a further investigation provided enough evidence to charge the couple with reckless manslaughter.
As of Thursday morning, Micheal Halstead has not entered a plea.
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