VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (June 27, 2025) — Brianna Marie Candelaria, 22, is facing multiple charges in Virginia and New York following a series of incidents, including the drowning death of her 5-month-old son, Valentino Lopez, in 2024.
Her legal troubles began on Feb. 15, 2024, when Candelaria faced an initial child abuse charge in Virginia. A grand jury issued a true bill on June 16, 2025, leading to her arrest on June 19, 2025.
Less than a month after her arrest for child abuse in Virginia, Candelaria was arrested on July 22, 2024 at 35 LeCount Place, New Rochelle, New York, the address of the Residence Inn by Marriott New Rochelle, following an incident at 9:00 a.m. The New Rochelle City Police Department charged her with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, third-degree assault, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and second-degree harassment with physical contact. The complaint, alleges Candelaria placed her hands around an adult victim’s neck, punched the victim causing substantial pain, and acted in a manner likely to harm children, including a five-year-old and her one-year-old (apparently referring to 5-month old Valentino Lopez) present during the incident. She pleaded not guilty.
One week after her arrest in New Rochelle on charges of assault and strangulation involving an adult and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a medical emergency was reported on July 29, 2024 at the 800 block of Crossing Court in Virginia Beach. Police responded to find Valentino Lopez in distress, and he later died at a local hospital. The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as drowning, with the manner undetermined.
A friend, Tyajah Burnette, shared details in a January 2025 TV interview, stating, “She told me that she was giving the baby a bath. She stepped out of the bathroom to get a towel, and when she came back, the baby was underneath the water and a rag was stuck in the drain. She ended up telling me that she forgot the baby was in the tub.” Valentino’s father, Andrew Lopez, described the loss as “the most traumatic experience of his life.”
On Aug. 16, 2024, Candelaria, out of jail and driving in Virginia, she was pulled over and charged with traffic offenses; operating with tinted windows/signs/decals and speeding.
Following a a death investigation into the drowning of Valentino Lopez, Candelaria was arrested on Jan. 10, 2025, in Virginia Beach. She faces felony charges, including second-degree murder and two counts of child abuse/neglect, related to her son’s drowning. She remains in custody at Virginia Beach City Jail, with bond denied on March 14, 2025.
Her next court date in New York is July 28, 2025 at the New Rochelle City Court.
Her next court dates in Virginia are set for jury trials on Aug. 19, 2025, and Sept. 7, 2025, at the Virginia Beach Circuit Court.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.