A Van Nuys woman who allegedly drowned her daughter in a bathtub was charged Tuesday with murder and assault on a child causing death.
Graciela Xiomara Castellanos, 37, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in a Van Nuys courtroom to the two felony counts stemming from last Friday's death of her daughter, Rebecca, at the family's apartment in the 6800 block of Sepulveda Boulevard.
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The girl was pronounced dead at the scene by first-responders, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
The girl died of asphyxia due to neck compression and drowning, according to records from the medical examiner's office.
The girl reportedly lived at the apartment with a man and a woman, and the man allegedly discovered her lifeless body when he arrived home and began screaming for help.
The woman, identified by police as the girl's mother, was arrested at the scene. She has remained behind bars since then in lieu of $2 million bail, jail records show.
"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," District Attorney Nathan 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 is due back in court June 17. A date is scheduled to be set then for a hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to allow the case against her to proceed to trial.
She could face up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney's Office.
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