Father pleads guilty in death of baby found in freezer

Antonio Cervantes

The father of an infant whose body was found last year in a freezer entered a guilty plea today in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to involuntary manslaughter and three other charges.

Antonio Cervantes, 18, of 5324 Rector Dr. will be sentenced on April 23 by Judge Myron Duhart for involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and endangering children.

Mr. Cervantes is being held in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $1.1 million bond.

He and Kenisha Pruitt, 20, the mother of the child, each faced charges in connection to the death of the infant boy, whose body was found April 13 last year in a freezer in an East Toledo home.

The Lucas County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide, determining that, at about two days old, the boy was submerged in water and was strangled before being put into the freezer.

Ms. Pruitt, of 2631 Scottwood Ave., was found guilty last month of aggravated murder after entering a plea in which charges of abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence were dropped. She was sentenced to 20 years to life.

He will be sentenced on April 23 by Judge Myron Duhart.