Jury selection continues Tuesday for trial of man accused of killing baby in 2011

Jury selection got underway Monday for the trial of a parolee charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend’s toddler nearly a decade ago.

Esteban Alamo, who was 24 at the time of his arrest and is now 33 years old — is suspected of beating 1-year-old Serik Nieto, who died on Oct. 9, 2010.

An autopsy later revealed the baby boy died because of severe head trauma.

“He had multiple bruises on him all over his body, like a man beats up a man,” Serik Nieto Sr., baby’s father, told News Channel 3 in 2011.

Alamo was the boyfriend of the baby’s mother and was living with them in Indio at the time, allegedly violating a requirement of his parole that he remain in Los Angeles County, at the time of the baby’s death.

Police interviewed Alamo when the victim was first taken to a hospital, but didn’t realize he was allegedly in violation of his parole at the time. He was arrested on Oct. 14, 2010, in the Los Angeles area.

It took Riverside County coroner’s officials several months to complete the autopsy, and charges were not filed against Alamo until February 2011.

Alamo has remained in custody in lieu of $1 million bail while his case has gone through various delays.

Jury selection is expected to continue Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.