Fiancé Of Los Angeles Woman Accused Of Drowning 7-Year-Old Daughter Claims She’s Depressed Over Immigration Status

The fiancé of a Los Angeles woman accused of drowning her 7-year-old daughter said she was depressed over her immigration status, ABC7 reported Tuesday.

The man, who asked not to be identified, told the outlet he believes his fiancé, Graciela Castellanos, 37, allegedly drowned her daughter following what he said was a deep depression over potentially not becoming a legal resident. Despite the allegations, her fiancé said she was “the sweetest mom in the world” and had never previously harmed the child, according to ABC7.

“First, I want to say that my wife was an almost perfect mom. She never told a bad word, yelled at the girl, didn’t hit her,” the man told the outlet in Spanish. “She was the sweetest mom in the world.”

The man also told ABC7 he had not arrived at the apartment where the child was allegedly killed until after the incident.

“I never got to the apartment and saw the girl, or her. I got home after all of it happened. This happened at 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. and I got home at almost 7 on the dot.”

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced today that Graciela Castellanos, 37, is charged with murder in the drowning death of her 7-year-old daughter in Van Nuys on April 11.#LACounty #LADA #LADAOffice #NathanHochman #DAHochman #DistrictAttorney… pic.twitter.com/o03WAxW5w6

— Nathan Hochman (@NathanHochmanDA) April 16, 2025

According to the man, Castellanos suffered from mental and emotional health issues, which caused her to scream and isolate until she calmed down. First responders arrived on scene at the apartment April 11, finding the child unresponsive in the bathtub. She was later pronounced dead. (RELATED: Teen Dies After Drowning In Popular Theme Park’s Pool, Police Say)

The man said he and Castellanos planned to get married in two months and was set to adopt her 7-year-old daughter. Footage obtained by KTLA appears to show Castellanos being restrained to a wheelchair while authorities take her into custody.

Castellanos has been charged with one felony count of murder and one felony count of assault on a child under 8 years old causing death, according to a press release from Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman’s office released April 15. Castellanos pleaded not guilty at her recent arraignment and faces a preliminary hearing June 17. Her bail is set at $2 million and she faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison if convicted.

The Daily Caller contacted Hochman’s office about the case and a spokesperson declined to comment beyond the press release.