Mother found guilty of murder in death of her 4-year-old child in East LA

LOS ANGELES () — A mother has been found guilty of murder and assault in the death of her 4-year-old daughter, who was found unresponsive in a car in East Los Angeles.

Maria Del Refugio Avalos on Thursday was found guilty of second-degree murder and assault on a child causing death.

Prosecutors say Avalos killed her daughter, 4-year-old Mia Gonzalez, back in January 2024.

Investigators say deputies found Mia in a car with her mother. The child was pronounced dead and the coroner’s office determined her cause of death was “combined effects of strangulation and sharp force injury of the wrist.”

Avalos faces 25 years to life in prison. She is set to be sentenced in May.