Brawley man charged with murdering five-year-old boy appears in court
Jessamyn Dodd
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A Brawley man charged with murdering a five-year-old boy made an appearance in an Imperial County courtroom Thursday.
24-year-old Isaac Elizondo, who is accused of the murder and child abuse of his girlfriend’s son, Joseph Jr., stood in the courtroom in a blue jail-issued jumpsuit.
The hearing date was extended due to a request to combine the cases of the child’s mother, Leia Lentz, who faces her own murder charges, and Elizondo as co-defendants.
“The court will note, the court has granted the filing of the first amended complaint. We will continue the arraignment based on councils need to file his objection,” said Judge Monica Lepe-Negrete.
Lentz made a separate appearance in the same courtroom, entering a not guilty plea to her charges and allegations.
Her attorney, Veronica Henderson, requested a bail review. Currrently, her bail is set a $1 million dollars. Henderson argued that her client has no prior convictions and no failures to appear, and Lentz should be granted the presumption of innocence.
Judge Lepe-Negrete denied the request citing the severity of the murder charges. She stated the child suffered abuse over a long period of time, and internal bleeding resulting in his death. The judge stated that Lentz is a flight risk, as her family resides in Utah.
Outside of the courthouse, KYMA spoke to Henderson who said, “It’s not going to be quick. What happened today is that they consolidated the two defendants into one complaint.”
Both suspects remain in custody as the case moves forward. They are due to appear in court together on March 19.