A woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from the death of her 4-year-old daughter, who was found unresponsive in a vehicle in East Los Angeles in January.
Maria Del Refugio Avalos, now 39, is charged with one count each of murder and assault on a child causing death.
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The girl's family identified her as Mia Gonzalez, while the criminal complaint lists her name only as "Mia G." and alleges that she was murdered between Jan. 23 and Jan. 25.
The girl died from the combined effects of strangulation and sharp force injury of the wrist, according to records from the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies were summoned shortly after 11 p.m. Jan. 25 to investigate a report of a child assaulted in the 4800 block of Civic Center Way, a couple of blocks south of the Pomona (60) Freeway, and found the girl unresponsive, according to the Sheriff's Information Bureau. Paramedics took her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
A woman later determined to be the girl's mother was detained at the scene and subsequently arrested for suspicion of murder, sheriff's officials said.
"The initial autopsy from the Department of Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as homicide," sheriff's officials said in a statement.
Avalos has remained behind bars since her arrest Jan. 26 by sheriff's deputies, jail records show.
Superior Court Judge Susan De Witt ordered Avalos to remain jailed in lieu of just over $2 million bail.
Avalos is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Oct. 17. A date is scheduled to be set then to determine if there is enough evidence to allow the case against her to proceed to trial.
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