California mother calls 911 and allegedly confesses to drowning 2-year-old daughter in the bathtub
GILROY, CALIFORNIA: Authorities arrived at a California home to find a 2-year-old girl's lifeless body in the bathtub after her mother called 911 claiming she had drowned her daughter. Marcie Montelongo, 35, called the Gilroy Police Department around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, November 3, and confessed to drowning her daughter in the bathtub of their house.
She was arrested on suspicion of murder and held without bail. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital. After the first responders arrived at the scene and retrieved the child's body, they tracked Montelongo about a mile from her home.
Upon being confronted, she again told authorities she had killed her daughter. According to Fox 11 Los Angeles, neighbors in the area said Montelongo had moved into the area two months ago and they had often heard a child playing behind closed doors.
Leon and Julie Clinton, who live in the neighborhood, said Montelongo usually kept to herself, and they didn't suspect anything out of the ordinary. As a result, the couple said they were shocked to find one of the units in their neighborhood covered in crime tape on Sunday.
“It was horrible when I saw all that yellow tape, it was awful,” said Julie, while Leon added, “Obviously we were shook, we are shook, it's demonic." Other neighbors were also trying to wrap their heads around what had really happened.
“This is the nicest community that I have lived in personally. When you live in a nice gated community you think that can't happen here,” said Jane Tovar. Many of them hoped Montelongo would get the help she needs if the allegations against her were true.
“Normally when you have neighbors you try to get to know them,” said Leon Clinton. “I think a common thing you will hear if you talk to other folks, she did not make contact, she was offset in many ways.”
The coroner's office has not yet released the identity of the two-year-old girl. The accused mother is due in court this Wednesday.