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Colorado father accused of trying to kill 5-year-old son

By January 24, 2022 | updated 4 years ago

Michael Ninomiya (12/11/79)
Michael Ninomiya, 42.
Courtesy of the Denver Police Department

Prosecutors charged a Colorado man with attempted murder after police said he confessed to intentionally pulling his 5-year-old son into a frozen creek in Denver.

Michael Ninomiya, 42, faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, attempted murder of a victim under the age of 12 while in a position of trust, attempted child abuse resulting in death, child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury and two violent crime sentence enhancers, the Denver District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

The alleged attack happened on Jan. 12 along the Cherry Creek Trail. Ninomiya called 911 saying his son fell into the creek’s frozen water at 4:15 p.m., according to an arrest affidavit. First responders found the son and father in the water in a fenced off drainage culvert.

Both Ninomiya and his son suffered injuries; however, the boy suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Children’s Hospital in critical condition. The boy remained in critical condition Monday and has fluctuating pressure in his brain, the affidavit said.

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Police arrested Ninomiya in connection with the incident one week later. He remained in custody on a $1 million bond as of Monday, according to the attorney’s office.

During Ninomiya’s first court appearance Thursday, prosecutors said Ninomiya confessed to police that he intentionally tried to kill his son. Prosecutors said Ninomiya pulled his son into the icy water and physically assaulted him until he was unsure if the boy was breathing.

Ninomiya’s public defender said the alleged attack may have been a result of Ninomiya’s diagnosed schizophrenia and other mental health disorders. However, prosecutors claimed that Ninomiya planned to kill his son and tried to cover it up by injuring himself and making it look like an accident.

Ninomiya was scheduled to appear in court at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday for his advisement, according to the attorney’s office.

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