Father Refuses Plea, Charged With Murder

Prosecutors have recharged a Blackfoot man with first-degree murder after he refused to plead guilty to a lesser charge in the June 1996 death of his 3-month-old son.

A preliminary hearing has been set for April 18 for Canuto Molina, who is accused causing the skull fracture that ultimately claimed the life of Cedric Molina.

The 24-year-old man had agreed to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

But Assistant Bingham County Prosecutor Carter Mackley said in addition to Molina refusing to enter that plea, new evidence has also turned up. Investigators had conducted another review of the autopsy report prior to the capital murder charge being filed.

The infant died June 10 after doctors at Bannock Regional Medical Center removed him from life support systems. The child was taken to the hospital with severe head injuries a day earlier by his baby sitter. Doctors told welfare officials that the injuries did not appear to be accidental, authorities said.

Prosecutors allege that Molina injured the child on June 8 and then not only failed to seek medical treatment but also deliberately concealed the child’s injuries.