SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The man accused of murdering his girlfriend’s one-year-old boy entered a not-guilty plea to assault and murder charges on Thursday.
McArvin Caringal-Sanchez appeared in court virtually from jail on Thursday while entering not guilty pleas at his arraignment.
Police arrested Caringal-Sanchez after getting a call about a toddler having issues breathing Monday in the Bay Terraces neighborhood.
Police said their preliminary investigation determined the child sustained serious traumatic internal injuries that were indicative of physical child abuse.
Dozens of people for and against Caringal-Sanchez filled a courtroom on Thursday.
“I know he loved Adrian as much as I did,” said Edgar Soto, the boy’s biological father who shared a smiling photo of his son with reporters.
The toddler, Adrian Dominic Soto, was going to turn two years old on Sunday, according to his dad.
Relatives wore sweaters in the courtroom with a smiling photo of the little boy and his name written underneath it.
Soto said she last saw his son on Saturday.
“As I was leaving, he looked out the door … and I said ‘bye’ and he said ‘bye’ and we always do this thing where I say bye and blow him a little kiss and he blew me one back.”
Soto stood next to his ex, the mother of the child, who also defended Caringal-Sanchez. She fought back tears while Soto fielded questions from reporters.
The Deputy District Attorney didn’t provide specific details of the case in court.
But Ramona McCarthy praised both the San Diego Police child abuse and homicide units for quickly gathering evidence in the case to support the charges.
“The San Diego Police Department did an outstanding investigation in this case,” she told reporters.
Rosario Ramirez is the boy’s grandmother and told 10News reporter Austin Grabish she was with the toddler the day before he died.
“It’s hard to believe that he’s not with us anymore.”
She said the child was fine when he was with her and doesn’t believe he died as a result of any accident.
“I’m so devastated that someone did that to my baby. He was my baby. I take care of him since he was born so it’s not fair that a monster did that to my baby.”
McArvin Caringal-Sanchez is being held without bail.
The Deputy DA said he faces life in prison if convicted of the charges.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise money to pay for the toddler's funeral expenses.
