Mother arrested after 7-year-old daughter found dead in Van Nuys apartment

The mother of a 7-year-old girl who was found dead inside of a Van Nuys apartment on Friday evening has been arrested, police said. 

They were called to the apartment complex in the 6800 block of N. Sepulveda Boulevard at around 5:40 p.m. after learning of the incident, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. 

Upon arrival, they found the child unresponsive in a bathtub and pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics. 

Prosecutors charged the child's mother, Garciela Xiomara Castellanos, 37, with one count of murder and one count of assault on a child under 8 years old causing death. 

"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. "Our sympathy goes out to the family and loved ones of this young girl, whose life was cut short far too soon."

Castellanos pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court set her bail at $2 million. 

If she is convicted as charged, Castellanos faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison.   

"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," Hochman said.