Involuntary manslaughter charge added against man accused in cousin’s death
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Prosecutors on Wednesday added a charge of involuntary manslaughter against a Delano man whose 15-year-old cousin died two days after they fought.
Mario Enriquez, 21, now faces four counts: involuntary manslaughter, battery with serious bodily injury and inflicting injury upon a child, all felonies, plus misdemeanor false imprisonment.
He’s due back in court July 17 to set a date for a preliminary hearing, court records show.
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Enriquez told police he and his cousin, Khristian Garcia, fought on Jan. 28 at a home on Glenwood Street. He said the fight began after Garcia disrespected him by calling him a “no life” and threatened to have an uncle beat him up.
Enriquez said he blocked the door when Garcia tried to leave. He told police he extended his arm to stop Garcia, and his cousin fell backward over a bike and hit his head on the tile floor.
Garcia became unresponsive, Enriquez told police.
Police were called and Garcia was taken to a hospital where a doctor discovered he had a broken jaw, punctured lung, fractured skull and bleeding on the brain, police reports say. He died on Jan. 30.
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