Los Angeles has recently witnessed a shocking tragedy that has shaken the community. A 37-year-old mother drowned her 7-year-old biological daughter in the bathtub at home. Following the exposure of the case, it sparked public attention, and the motive for her killing her daughter is even more heart-wrenching: due to concerns about her immigration status, fear of not obtaining American citizenship, and anxiety about being deported, this mother made an extreme move under heavy psychological pressure.

According to multiple media reports from ABC 7 Television and Dayton Daily Magazine, the incident occurred on the afternoon of April 11th around 5:40 PM, at a residence on the 6800 block of Sepulveda Boulevard in Van Nuys, Los Angeles. The suspect, Graciela Castellanos, and the victim, Rebecca C., were involved.

According to police investigations, Castellanos forcibly submerged her daughter's head underwater, causing her death by drowning. When the police arrived at the scene after receiving the report, young Rebecca had already lost consciousness. Although emergency responders immediately began resuscitation efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene. The autopsy report showed that Rebecca's cause of death included drowning and asphyxia caused by neck compression.

Even more shocking is that neighbors reported hearing the girl's desperate cries for help before the incident: "Mom, please don't!" However, this plea for help ultimately failed to prevent the tragedy from occurring.

Graciela's fiancé revealed in an interview with the media that Graciela had long suffered from severe depression. The recent anxiety over her immigration status rapidly worsened her mental state. She reportedly constantly worried about being unable to obtain American citizenship due to her status and facing deportation. This deep-seated unease and fear may have been the trigger for her emotional breakdown on the day of the incident.

He also recalled that Graciela used to be a nearly perfect mother, gentle and considerate, never physically or verbally abusive towards her children. But in recent years, due to her mental illness, she often exhibited emotional breakdowns, isolating herself. Sometimes she would scream or refuse to interact with others until her emotions gradually calmed down. However, such states had never previously escalated into violent behavior.

Currently, Graciela has been arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on charges of first-degree murder, with bail set at $2 million. The police have not disclosed further details of the case, which is still under investigation.

This case has shocked the public greatly. Prosecutors stated that the cruelty of this tragedy lies in the fact that an innocent child was deprived of life by the person she trusted most—her own mother—in the place where she should have felt safest—the home. Social commentators pointed out that this is not just an isolated case but also reflects a mental health crisis within the immigrant community under current high-pressure policies.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494023802070778403/

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