Father pleads guilty to murder in death of 9 year old son

Meridian, Idaho: 31-year-old Erik Osuna plead guilty on Wednesday, March 16 as a part of a plea deal to a charge of first-degree murder relating to the death of his 9-year-old son, Emrik Osuna in September 2020.

His case was scheduled to go to trial next month.

Citing court documents, the Idaho Statesman reports that the additional charge Erik faced of destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence will be dismissed.

His agreement includes the stipulation that the prosecution will no longer pursue the death penalty.

In February his wife, 29-year-old Monique Osuna plead guilty as a part of a plea deal to a charge of first-degree murder as well admitting in a statement that "my discipline of him escalated. Before I knew it, I was abusing him, and that abuse killed him."

According to her statement, that discipline included hitting Emrik with a metal spoon, her hands, and even a frying pan in order to keep Emrik doing various exercises between 12 and 20 hours a day.

"Each day, I would say over 12 hours a day, or thereabouts," Meridian Police Detective Matthew Ferronato testified previously. "Sometimes it would go on, 20-plus hours of consistent exercise."

Due to the plea deal Monique entered, the prosecution will not pursue the death penalty.

Both are scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2022 at 8:30 am.