Father, stepmother of Placerville boy arrested following his 2020 death

The father and stepmother of Roman Lopez, 11, of Placerville, who died under suspicious circumstances have been arrested more than one year after his sudden death, according to authorities.Lindsay Piper, 38, and Jordan Piper, 36, have been arrested on several charges, including child abuse, poisoning and torture, Placerville Police and the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office said at a joint news conference Thursday. The couple was booked into Calaveras County Jail, which is where they had been recently living, authorities said."This is a horrific crime that shocked the community," said Placerville police Chief Joseph Wren. "The death of a child affects us all. Now it's time for the perpetrators to face justice."Roman was reported missing in January 2020. He was found dead hours later in a storage bin in the basement of the family's home, and police said at the time that his death was suspicious and authorities were investigating. In the months following his death, officials released very little details about the case which got national attention. Authorities explained that the initial autopsy showed no obvious trauma, Roman was found to be "severely malnourished and dehydrated at the time of his death," the joint release says. Over the past year, authorities investigated the case, analyzing forensic evidence, combing through electronic devices and working with medical professionals, including experts in the field of child abuse. "Adding to the complexity of this case was how often this family moved and the various agencies they had encountered," the release says.At the time of Roman's death, he was living in a home with his father, stepmother and seven other children whose ages ranged from 1 to 17 years old. The family had recently moved to Placerville and had only been in the house for a little over two months before Roman's death. "The hearts and soul of our community was broken a little over a year ago when we learned of Roman's death," Placerville Mayor Dennis Thomas said in a statement. "We mourn the loss of a tender soul at such a young age. Our community has been impatiently waiting for this day."This is an ongoing story, Gold Country Media will continue to provide updates as they are released.