BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) – A mother was allegedly “baptizing” her daughter before the child was found unresponsive in a bathtub in Brooklyn, according to a criminal complaint.
Karla Espinal, 26, was arrested Saturday, one day after her 6-year-old daughter was found in a bathtub near Elton Street and Ridgewood Avenue, sources told PIX11 News. The child was later pronounced dead at an area hospital, according to the NYPD.
The young child was fine before Espinal allegedly submerged her in a bathtub, family members told prosecutors. The child's mother later told police she was “baptizing” her daughter, according to the complaint.
Espinal pleaded not guilty to charges including assault, endangering a child and reckless endangerment, court records show. She is due back in court on Friday.
Espinal's charges could be upgraded once the Medical Examiner determines the 6-year-old's cause of death, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office.
A lawyer representing Espinal declined to comment on the case.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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