A Los Angeles mom in a “deep depression” has been charged with drowning her 7-year-old daughter in the bathtub in what prosecutors called a “tragic and deeply unsettling” case.
Graciela Castellanos, 37, of Van Nuys allegedly murdered her daughter at their home on April 11, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said.
When police and paramedics arrived at the apartment last Friday, the girl was unresponsive in the tub and was pronounced dead at the scene.
No further details about the events leading up to the child’s death were shared.
“The alleged facts of this case — where a mother is accused of intentionally taking the life of her young child — are profoundly tragic and deeply unsettling,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “Our sympathy goes out to the family and loved ones of this young girl, whose life was cut short far too soon. We are committed to seeking justice through a thorough and fair prosecution and ensuring that the legal process honors the memory of the child and supports the healing of her family.”
Castellanos’s fiancé told ABC7 Eyewitness News that his partner was in a “deep depression” after finding out “she might not become a legal resident,” the network reported.
He arrived home that night to find police in the apartment.
He claimed Castellanos suffers from “mental and emotional issues,” where she would sometimes “scream and isolate herself until she calms down.”
The man, who was not named, told the outlet that his partner was “an almost perfect mom” and called her “the sweetest.” He added that she never yelled or hit the child.
The man said that the couple had plans to marry in two months, and he also intended to adopt the girl after the wedding.
At a hearing Tuesday, Castellanos pleaded not guilty to one felony count of murder and one felony count of assault on a child under 8 years old causing death. Bail was set at $2 million and a preliminary hearing was set for June 17.
If she is found guilty, Castellanos faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
