SAN ANTONIO — We are getting new insight on a tragic homicide case involving a mother and son.
On Tuesday, a young boy who was at the center of an amber alert and his mother were found dead in a drainage easement near Tom Slick Park, Bexar County deputies say.
Authorities tentatively identified the bodies as 32-year-old Savannah Kriger and 3-year-old Kaiden Kriger.
Jamie Johnson told KENS 5 she last spoke with her stepsister on Sunday.
“She was never one to ignore a call, to miss a call,” said Johnson. “So, the second she didn’t answer my second phone call, I knew something was wrong.”
The family’s frantic search for Savannah and Kaiden started Monday night. Johnson says she called police and asked them to do a welfare check at about 6 p.m.
“One of the terrible things is [my family] drove by Tom Slick Park at about 1 a.m. hoping to find her car because we knew that’s where her phone had last pinged,” Johnson said through tears. “I’m glad they didn’t find anything because that’s not the way we want to remember them.”
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) issued an amber alert Tuesday morning. However, just a few hours later, it was canceled.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said they are investigating the homicide case as a possible murder-suicide.
Johnson is still in shock. She said Savannah was a devoted mother and Kaiden was her whole world.
“I’m not saying that that’s not correct, but none of us feel that’s how it happened,” she said. “In some social media circles and media, they are saying maybe she didn’t have someone to turn to. But she did, and she did turn to us. She expressed to us on Sunday her fears and anxieties and her joys, her future plans. We talked about things that were going to be planned months in advance like summer parties with Kaiden. She was going through a separation with her husband, who we harbor no ill will towards at all, but she was saying, ‘I really don’t want [Kaiden] to feel the brunt of this. So, I really need you to lock in and just love him.’”
Johnson said her tight-knit family is completely devastated. Memories of happier times with Savannah and Kaiden are helping her through the immense grief. Johnson is praying the investigation brings answers.
“[Savannah] was incredibly motivated, headstrong, goal-oriented,” said Johnson. “Kaiden was just the sweetest, funniest boy. He was so well-spoken, so well behaved, just a joy.”
A vigil is planned for 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 24, at Tom Slick Park. Everyone is encouraged to attend, Johnson said.