California woman Kelle Anne Brassart, 45, has been convicted of murder and child neglect after she failed to prevent her 2-year-old daughter from drowning because she was allegedly too busy using dating apps.
As detailed by the Stanislaus County District Attorney in a news release, Brassart has been found guilty of second-degree murder and felony child neglect in connection with the drowning death of her daughter. She was on probation for child abuse at the time of her daughter’s death, and is facing up to 15 years behind bars.
On September 12, 2025, she called authorities to report that her daughter was floating in the pool. When she concluded the call, she allegedly did not attempt to rescue her daughter, Daniellé. She told authorities that she was unable to retrieve her daughter from the pool because she was suffering from a leg injury, which required the use of a wheelchair. However, evidence later showed that she was able-bodied and did not require a wheelchair.
When officers from the Turlock Police Department arrived at the scene, they recovered Daniellé’s body from the pool, and she was pronounced dead. Officers noted that they believed that Brassart was intoxicated at the time, and an investigation found that her residence had various empty and full bottles of liquor. Her blood alcohol content was .246 percent at the time of the incident. Surveillance footage of the drowning showed that Brassart left her daughter unattended by the pool for as long as 45 minutes.
During the time she wasn’t with her daughter, she was allegedly using her phone in her bedroom. She allegedly used various dating apps and called men whom she had met on the platforms. Before Daniellé’s father left for a work trip, which meant he was absent during the drowning, he told Brassart not to drink and to make sure their daughter was under careful supervision.