A 19-year-old mother of three is charged with child endangerment and the murder of her 17-month-old son who drowned in the bathtub of her Westlake District home April 1.


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According to the Los Angeles Times, Nancy Jacinto told Los Angeles police investigators that she left to get a towel to dry off her son Jacob Gaona when she found him floating face down in the water.

She later admitted to detectives that she was stressed out and dozed off, and when she woke up Gaona was dead. Police said she was away from the bathroom for at least 12 minutes.

Jacinto has pleaded not guilty. The Times reported that the LAPD previously visited Jacinto's home in January after her three-year-old daughter arrived at school with a burn mark on her cheek. However, there was no evidence of abuse. Police notified the Los Angeles County of Department of Children and Family Services but it is not clear whether they visited the home before Gaona's death.

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