> At a Glance
> – Carmen Anita Degregg, 24, appeared in court charged with murdering her 17-month-old daughter
> – Police say she confessed on UCLA’s campus, leading officers to the Santa Monica apartment
> – A frying pan was involved, though exact use remains under investigation
> – Why it matters: The case spotlights extreme child violence and a mother’s shocking confession on a college campus she had no ties to.
A 24-year-old mother stood before a downtown L.A. judge Friday in an anti-suicide smock, accused of fatally beating her toddler with an unusual weapon: a kitchen frying pan. Carmen Anita Degregg now faces 25 years to life if convicted of murder and child-assault causing death.
Confession on Campus
The tragedy unfolded Tuesday just before noon, when UCLA Police detained Degregg after she allegedly admitted harming her child and leaving the girl inside a Broadway apartment. Officers raced to the 2000 block of Broadway in Santa Monica and discovered the 17-month-old with severe injuries.
Santa Monica Fire Department paramedics rushed the toddler to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death.
Legal Fallout
Key details of the case:
- Bail set at $2 million
- Arraignment postponed to Feb. 19
- No known university affiliation, UCLA officials confirm
District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the allegations as “extreme violence against a child who was entirely vulnerable and unable to protect herself,” pledging to seek “the maximum accountability permitted by law.”
Key Takeaways
- A mother’s on-campus confession led police to her mortally wounded toddler
- The child suffered significant injuries; a frying pan was part of the evidence
- Degregg faces life imprisonment if convicted on both counts
As Santa Monica homicide detectives continue their investigation, the community is left grappling with how a kitchen utensil became an alleged instrument of death in a case that began with a chilling confession miles away.
