BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - 33-year-old Carlos Ruben Laguna-Sanchez appeared in court on Friday as a suspect in the murder of his one-year-old step-son.

The family of the infant was also in court to argue against and express their disapproval of Laguna-Sanchez and the baby's mother, who apparently showed up to defend the suspect in the case.

On Sept. 22, 2010, Kern County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Detectives were sent to 1810 Ming Avenue, to investigate the death of a 1-year-old boy.

During the course of the investigation, officials said the child’s stepfather, Laguna-Sanchez was identified as a suspect.

Homicide detectives completed a thorough investigation and submitted the case to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office requesting Laguna-Sanchez be charged with the murder of the child.

Earlier in the month of September 2012, a warrant was issued charging Laguna-Sanchez with murder.

On September 19, homicide detectives said they found Laguna-Sanchez at a home in the 5100 block of Jonah Street in Bakersfield.

Sanchez was arrested without incident and booked into the Kern County Jail. Laguna-Sanchez has pleaded not-guilty to first-degree murder and his bail is set at $1,000,000.