DA files murder charge against Fresno man in toddler’s death

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against a Fresno man in the 2016 death of a 14-month-old boy.

Kenneth Johnson, 31, is charged with one count of murder.

Johnson first was arrested in December 2016 in the slaying of Jose Luis Espinosa after police reported he had confessed to detectives that he punched the boy in the stomach. However, Johnson was released a short time after the arrest when District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp referred the case back to police.

Police arrested Johnson again on Wednesday. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Fresno County Superior Court on Monday and faces life in prison if convicted.

This story was originally published January 5, 2018 at 2:28 PM with the headline "DA files murder charge against Fresno man in toddler’s death."