A Los Angeles mother accused of drowning her 7-year-old daughter may have been driven by emotional distress after learning her immigration status could be denied, according to her grieving fiancé.
On the evening of Friday, April 12, 2024, emergency responders were called to an apartment on Sepulveda Boulevard in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, where they found a young girl unresponsive in a bathtub, ABC 7 reported. The child, later pronounced dead at the scene, was allegedly drowned by her own mother, 37-year-old Graciela Castellanos.
Graciela Castellanos was arrested at the scene and is being held on $2 million bail. Her fiancé, who spoke with ABC7 under the condition of anonymity, described Castellanos as a loving and gentle mother who never raised her voice or hand toward her daughter.
He said Castellanos had struggled with emotional and mental health challenges, including episodes of isolation and distress, though she had never previously shown violent behavior.
The fiancé, who arrived home after the incident, believes that news of a potential rejection of her application for legal residency may have triggered a severe depressive episode that led to the unthinkable. The couple had been preparing for marriage in just two months, and he had planned to adopt her daughter.
The Los Angeles Police Department has not released additional details, and the case remains under investigation. Castellanos' mental health history and immigration concerns are expected to be examined as part of the legal process.
