Murder charge filed against woman accused of drowning her 7-year-old daughter in Van Nuys

A woman accused of drowning her 7-year-old daughter in Van Nuys has been charged with murder. Graciela Castellanos, 37, was arrested Friday when police found her daughter, Rebecca, unresponsive in a bathtub at an apartment in the 6800 block of Sepulveda Boulevard. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders, officials said. Castellanos' fiancé told Eyewitness News he believes she was triggered by a deep depression after she found out she might not become a legal resident. Castellanos pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday to one felony count of murder and one felony count of assault on a child under 8 years old causing death, according to prosecutors. Her next court appearance is set for June 17. She is being held on $2 million bail. If convicted as charged, Castellanos faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

ABC 7

70-year-old man killed after hit-and-run crash in West LA, police search for alleged driver

Police are searching for the driver who allegedly killed a 70-year-old man during a hit-and-run crash in West Los Angeles Monday night. The Los Angeles Police Department said the crash took place around 10:35 p.m. near Westwood and Exposition boulevards. In a statement, police said the 70-year-old man was allegedly crossing Westwood Boulevard just north of Exposition Boulevard, outside of a marked crosswalk. He was hit by a dark blue Mazda hatchback that was reportedly traveling at a high rate of speed. The LAPD claims the driver did not stop or try to help the man after the crash. First responders from the Los Angeles Fire Department attempted life-saving measures, but the man died at the scene. The identity of the man has not been released by police. Police say they found the car involved the crash ditched near to LAPD's Wilshire station and detectives are working to download information from the car's computer to see if speed was a factor. Police remind drivers that if they are involved in a crash, they should pull over and identify themselves. They also remind pedestrians to use caution when crossing the street and make sure to use marked crosswalks.

CBS 2

Detectives seek witnesses, victims of Southern California kidnapping suspect

Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department are seeking witnesses or potential victims of a 26-year-old Armenian national arrested for kidnapping a teenage girl, officials announced Monday. Varush Manoukyan was arrested on April 10 for a kidnapping that occurred a day earlier at around 5 p.m., according to a community alert released by LAPD’s Mission Division. “The victim, a female in her mid-teens, was able to immediately escape from the suspect’s vehicle and notify police,” officials said. Authorities say the 26-year-old may have approached victims in his vehicle, a black 2014 Mercedes E350 four-door sedan, speaking a foreign language. He has reportedly been known to try and use his cell phone to translate a request for direction or to ask for some type of assistance. The vehicle and the 26-year-old are currently in police custody, officials said. Anyone with information about this investigation is urged to contact Detective Anderson at 818-838-9810 or the Mission Area Station front desk at 818-838-9800. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477.  

KTLA 5

Man arrested after allegedly making criminal threats, leading police on pursuit in Koreatown

A man wanted for allegedly making criminal threats and leading police on a pursuit in Koreatown was arrested Tuesday afternoon. SkyCal flew over the pursuit when the driver could be seen traveling at high speeds on the freeway before getting off and driving on the street. Officers from the California Highway Patrol assisted the Alhambra Police Department in the pursuit. During the pursuit, the driver was also seen swerving through lanes and running several red lights. Around 12:14 p.m., the driver got out of the vehicle and ran toward an apartment complex near S. New Hampshire Avenue and W. 4th Street. He was seen running into the parking garage. Police began searching the area and set up a perimeter. Around 12:56 p.m., he was taken into custody. 

CBS 2

Crew of 3 homeless burglary suspects linked to 25 crimes in Los Angeles

Police arrested a coordinated crew of three homeless suspects after linking them to at least 25 crimes, most of them burglaries, in Los Angeles. In a video posted to Instagram last week, the LAPD said these individual arrests were the result of a series of burglaries, vehicle thefts, assaults with a deadly weapon and criminal threats in North Hollywood between January and March of 2025. “When interviewed, the suspects admitted to committing these crimes to support their drug use,” read the post’s caption. In the videos provided by the LAPD, most of which were captured by Ring cameras, the suspects are seen using bolt cutters to break into properties. “In many cases, security and doorbell cameras captured the suspects in action, providing critical leads that helped detectives build the case,” said the statement. Though most footage shows the suspects acting individually, the department said that as the investigation unfolded, detectives identified a pattern and found connections between the crew. The first arrest took place on March 23, when officers responded to reports of a woman screaming. 

KTLA 5

South LA teen injured in hit-and-run while biking home from school

Authorities are looking for a hit-and-run driver who ran over a teenager riding his bicycle home from school in South Los Angeles. The surveillance video shared with FOX 11 shows the crash last Monday, April 7th, around 3:30 p.m. along Nadeau Street and Croesus Avenue. Eric Carrillo’s son, Sebastian, was injured in the collision. In the surveillance video, a BMW can be seen turning right into the 15-year-old on the sidewalk, crashing, pausing for a moment, then driving off. The 15-year-old was rushed to the hospital with a concussion, along with painful bumps and bruises that required stitches. Moments after the collision, witnesses can be seen on the surveillance video trying to chase after the car. "To me, it looks like attempted murder," said Carrillo. "It could have been worse." According to Carrillo, they’re not sure who the driver is, and why somebody would do that.

FOX 11

Los Angeles traffic stop leads to major arrest after K-9 finds 50 pounds of meth

What started as an average traffic stop in East Los Angeles turned into a major drug bust arrest with the help of a K-9, officials announced Monday. The California Highway Patrol said it happened during the early morning hours of April 10. Two officers with the CHP’s East L.A. division pulled over a vehicle traveling northbound on the I-5 Freeway for a “mechanical violation,” according to the department’s Instagram post. “However,” the caption read, “their investigation uncovered much more.” With the help of a K-9 named J.D., the officers uncovered about 50 pounds of methamphetamine in the driver’s vehicle. Details are limited, and officials did not immediately identify the suspect or state the exact charges, but CHP called the incident a “major arrest.”

KTLA 5

Parents arrested after 9-month-old tests positive for cocaine in Tulare County

The parents of a 9-month-old were arrested Tuesday after the infant tested positive for cocaine at a hospital in Tulare County, police said. The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office received a call shortly before 5 a.m. from a hospital reporting that a child tested positive for cocaine. The couple had initially brought the baby into the emergency room for a high fever. But after several tests, hospital staff determined the baby tested positive for the narcotic, authorities said in a news release. Detectives executed a search warrant at the couple’s home in Lindsay, where they found narcotics and two other children, whose ages were not provided by the sheriff’s office. It is not clear how the infant came into contact with the cocaine. Ashley Flores, 29, and Casey Willibanks, 32, were arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and possession of illicit narcotics, according to the sheriff’s office. Child Welfare Services removed the children from the home, officials said. 

Los Angeles Times

Video: Suspect strikes, runs over Missouri officer with ATV

Kansas City police are searching for a suspect who drove an ATV into an officer, causing them to be hospitalized with serious injuries over the weekend. The suspect, police say, is the driver of a black and lime green Yamaha Raptor 700 who allegedly struck an officer who was attempting to take them into custody Saturday. The officer was briefly hospitalized with serious head injuries and is recovering at home. At a news conference Monday, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves called it “a miracle” that the officer is able to recover from home. Graves and Mayor Quinton Lucas are pleading with the public for help with apprehending the suspect. “I ask our city to step up and assist in identifying and locating the person responsible for the disgusting assault on your Kansas City police officer. In turn, I ask the person responsible for the assault on our police officer to make arrangements for a peaceful surrender, sooner than later,” Graves said. “Last night, a reckless ATV driver caused injuries to a Kansas City police officer, mayhem on our streets, and continued to display the lawlessness that too many dirt bike, stunt drivers, ATV users, racers, and others display on streets in dense areas of our city,” Lucas said in a statement Sunday.

Kansas City Star

BWC: Man attempts to drive away from stop, nearly running over Iowa officers before OIS

The fatal shooting of a Hull, Iowa, man by a Sioux City police officer in February was “legally justified,” Woodbury County Attorney James Loomis said Friday. Vicente Manzo Hernandez, 30, was shot at about 3:38 a.m. on Feb. 22 in the 200 block of 18th St., after a traffic stop. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries. Loomis said Hernandez tried to force his way into a position to take control of a 2000 Chevrolet Impala, which he was initially a passenger in, despite the officer entering the car and ordering him to get back. The car continued to accelerate, with the officer stuck and unable to get free. Loomis said the officer was “at a very real risk of being dragged down the street or run over by the car” due to Hernandez’s actions. “The use of deadly force was justified to put an end to that immediate danger. Therefore, I conclude that criminal charges are not warranted. I consider this investigation to be closed,” Loomis said during a news conference at police headquarters, which was held to present the findings of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and Sioux City Police Department . The names of the officers involved in the incident were not revealed.

Sioux City Journal

Nearly a third of LA's fires last six years involved homeless people, new report shows

The 7 on Your Side Investigates Team has reported in the past how the Los Angeles Fire Department's response times don't always meet national standards. Now a new memo from Interim LAFD Chief Ronnie Villanueva says a surge in calls to help the homeless shows even more just how strapped the department is for resources. The memo that was supposed to be discussed at Tuesday's LAFD Commission meeting is filled with numbers. In fiscal year 2024/2025, the city allocated about $961 million to homelessness, while the total LAFD budget for that same fiscal year was well under that - at about $837 million. The union president for the firefighters calls that shocking. "We don't want to criminalize homelessness, but we need additional resources strictly for homelessness," said Freddy Escobar, president of United Firefighters of Los Angeles. "We need more funding." The commission board tabled discussing the memo for next month.

ABC 7

LA 2028 Olympic organizers announce updated venue plans

Organizers for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics unveiled an updated master venue plan on Tuesday, with the Universal Studios lot named as the host site for squash and Dodger Stadium getting baseball. In other shifts, Alamitos Beach in Long Beach is set to host beach volleyball after talks between LA28 and Santa Monica ended, and Santa Anita Park was named for equestrian competition, canceling Galway Downs in Temecula as a prospective host site. Surfing competition is to take place at Trestles Beach in San Clemente, known for its consistent waves. Venice Beach will host the triathlon, which relocated from Long Beach, and will also serve as the starting point in both the marathon and the cycling road courses. The courses and finishes for both will be confirmed and announced at a later date, organizers said. "This plan brings the Games to all corners of our city like never before — from the Sepulveda Basin to the iconic shores of Venice Beach, our world-famous neighborhoods as well as our hidden gems will be on full display for all to experience and enjoy," Mayor Karen Bass said.

CBS 2

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.