Why did no one act earlier? Shocking photos of injuries endured by toddler taken by his relatives and shared online TWO months before his body was found in woods

  • The body of Colton Brandt Turner, two, was found Texas last week
  • His remains were hidden in a wooded area of southeast Austin 
  • His mother Megan Work, 20, and her boyfriend, Michael Brandt Turner, 29, have been charged with tampering with physical evidence
  • Family member took photos of injuries on his body in July
  • They were then sent to Work's friend this week who contacted police  
  • CPS received four complaints into possible abuse against him
  • Work had been living out of her car or with friends for the past months

Shocking images of physical injuries suffered by a toddler whose body was found in the woods were taken by family members months before his death but no-one went to the police.

The remains of Colton Brandt Turner, two, of Austin, Texas, were found in a wooded area of southeast Austin less than two days after officials received a call from a friend of his mother who was concerned about the young boy's whereabouts.

Since then, investigators have learned that disturbing photos of Colton had been shared and even posted online for months.

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Shocking images of abuse suffered by a toddler who was found dead in the woods were taken by family members months
Shocking images of abuse suffered by a toddler who was found dead in the woods were taken by family members months before but no-one went to the police

Shocking images of injuries suffered by Colton Brandt Turner, two, of Austin, Texas, who was found dead in the woods were taken by family members months before but no-one went to the police

No one has been charged with physical abuse in connection with his death.

His mother Megan Work, 20, and her boyfriend, Michael Brandt Turner, 29, have been charged with tampering with physical evidence, a second-degree felony that carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Work's friend Briana Spieldenner, who initially notified officials, said that Work's cousin contacted her on Facebook last week and sent her the photos which were taken nearly two months ago.

[She] said, 'Look, I'm worried about Colton,' recalled Spieldenner.

The pictures of Turner show his tiny body body bruised and scratched.  

Spieldenner contacted Work, who assured her Colton was fine, but she took the photos to Cedar Park Police Department. 

Work's friend Briana Spieldenner, who initially notified officials, said that Work's cousin contacted her on Facebook last week and sent her the photos which were taken nearly two months ago

Work's friend Briana Spieldenner, who initially notified officials, said that Work's cousin contacted her on Facebook last week and sent her the photos which were taken nearly two months ago

Megan Work
The body of two-year-old Colton turner was found last week and his mother Megan Work is now in police custody (both pictured above)

Tragic end: The body of two-year-old Colton turner was found last week and his mother Megan Work is now in police custody (both pictured above)

Work is also four months pregnant, according Spieldenner.

Colton's mother's boyfriend Michael Turner confessed to Cedar Park police detective Justin Miller. 

'We were lucky enough to have them separated to where they couldn't talk about this,' said Miller, reports KVUE.com.

'While they maybe had months before tried to work out a story, there were so many holes in it we were able to kind of play to those holes.'

Miller, along with an FBI agent, drove to the San Saba County Jail Thursday to interview Turner after the department received a call Wednesday night worried Colton was missing. 

Turner was being held at the jail on charges unrelated to Colton's disappearance.

A day later Turner revealed where Colton's body had been hidden and took them to the site where he admitted burying the body on Felter Lane in Austin two months prior in July. 

According to an arrest affidavit, Work told police inconsistent stories, among them that the toddler hit his head on an air-conditioning unit inside a motel room July 6.

Work had been living out of her car or with friends for the past several months. 

Texas Child Protective Services had received four total complaints beginning when Colton was about six months old, according to the sources reports KVUE News

Two of the complaints had been resolved, but it was not immediately clear how. 

The other two were open and on-going when investigators discovered Colton's body.

Her older sister Tyler has spoken of her frustration towards Child Protective Services.

Work had been living out of her car or with friends for the past several months

Work had been living out of her car or with friends for the past several months

'I've had random family members tell me that, "I called CPS on Meagan, and they didn't do anything, and they told me they would call me back."'

'And it's like they don't even live here. They live five hours away, and they called CPS on Meagan, and no one did anything about it,' said Tyler, reports 12 News. 

Tyler said that she saw Work at their mother's funeral in February and said Colton looked neglected.

'He seemed fine. He didn't, I mean, he didn't have any bruises or scratches on him or anything but he, I mean, I guess he was wearing clothes that were too small for him. 

'He looked like, I mean I just don't want to say. He didn't look OK,' Tyler said. 

'He just looked like he wasn't being taken care of. You know, he just didn't look clean,' she said.

The Texas Division of Child Protective Services said it ‘had involvement’ with Work, but did not outline a timeline of when CPS first learned about the complaints, reports KXAN.

Julie Moody, a spokesperson for CPS told the news station that tracking down parents who may be homeless or living from house to house can be complex after a complaint or allegation is made.

In late 2013, Work pleaded guilty to animal cruelty. 

She also pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury stemming from a May 2013 incident where she hit another woman. 

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