A Brooklyn woman on Wednesday was indicted on charges of assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly holding her 6-year-old daughter’s head underwater in a bathtub.
Karla Espinal, 26, of East New York, was ordered held without bail and is scheduled to return to court on May 15, 2025, according to a press release.
According to the investigation, the incident occurred on Feb. 7, 2025, at 165 Elton St. Espinal allegedly submerged her daughter, Madeline Tavarez, underwater in a bathtub.
When the child’s father arrived home shortly thereafter, he found his daughter unresponsive in the bathtub with the defendant. Emergency responders transported the child to Brookdale Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 2:42pm.
“This innocent child had her whole life ahead of her when the person she depended on allegedly drowned her in a bathtub. This is a distressing and unspeakable case, which we continue to investigate to ensure that this defendant is held fully accountable," said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
The case remains under investigation as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determines the final cause and manner of death. Prosecutors indicated that additional charges may be filed based on the findings.
