5-year-old declared dead in drowning, allegedly at mother's hands

A 5-year-old girl has died, police said Wednesday, a week after her mother allegedly tried to kill her while drowning her 1-year-old sister.

Los Angeles police officials said the girl, named Marian, was taken off life support at Children's Hospital Los Angeles late Tuesday after her organs were donated.

She had been declared brain-dead on Sunday, but doctors waited to take her off life support until organ donation arrangements could be made.

The girl's mother, Lorna Valle, 32, has already been charged with murder in the Feb. 15 drowning  of her 1-year-old daughter, Lindsay. Prosecutors are expected to amend the criminal complaint to reflect the additional murder charge.

Valle, 32, was arrested last week on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and was being held on $1.5-million bail.

Authorities said that Valle -- who is believed to have been battling mental illness or depression -- tried to drown her two daughters while her husband left their South L.A. home briefly to buy juice and milk.

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-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Lorna Valle, center, and daughters, Marian, left, and Lindsay. Credit: KTLA-TV