Man accused of killing 18-month-old to stand trial
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BLACKFOOT — A 22-year-old man will now go to trial on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of a young child.
Jesus Adan Castillo appeared before Magistrate Judge James Barrett in Bingham County on Thursday morning for a preliminary hearing on charges alleging he is responsible for the death of then-18-month-old Zachary Seth Alxzander Tendoy.
Barrett found probable cause to bind Castillo over to district court. He will be arraigned before Judge Darren Simpson on May 1.
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Castillo could spend life in prison if found guilty. Bingham County Prosecutor Cleve Colson tells EastIdahoNews.com he has filed a motion to not seek the death penalty in this case.
According to court records, on March 23, around 4 a.m., Blackfoot Police officers responded to a home on the 1600 block of Camas Street to assist with an ambulance call for an unresponsive child under 2 years old.
The child was rushed to Bingham Memorial Hospital and then taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in critical condition, according to police. The child later died.
The City of Blackfoot/Bingham County Detective Division investigated the incident and later arrested Castillo on felony charges of aggravated battery and felony injury to child.
Prosecutors then amended those charges to first-degree murder. Castillo remains in the Bingham County Jail on a $1 million bond.
According to Idaho Code, aggravated battery on a child under 12 years old that results in the child death is considered murder in the first degree.