OCEANSIDE — A foster mother charged with the murder of a 4-year-old girl in her care admitted to authorities that she accidentally killed the girl after months of abuse, testified a detective April 23.

Dania Yesenia Haros, 23, is charged with one count each of murder and assault stemming from the death of Angelina Espalin in November 2006.

Superior Court Judge Runston Maino ordered Haros back to court May 7 for an arraignment, at which time a trial date may be set.

After several interviews with Haros during a yearlong investigation following the death of the young girl, Oceanside police Detective Jeffrey Novak testified Haros finally admitted she had pushed Angelina three times on the evening of Nov. 19, 2006, each time causing the victim to hit her head on a wood or metal surface.

Haros said she had started abusing the girl a few months prior because she had become angry that her husband, Daniel Haros, was neglecting her, and their two foster children, which included Angelina and her younger sister, Elisa Espalin, Novak said.

Christopher Swaell, a deputy medical examiner for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, testified that Angelina died from damage to her brain caused by blunt-force head injuries. He said he recorded 34 injuries to Angelina’s entire body with 18 of those on her face and head.

Haros told police she never sought help for her abusive actions, however, Novak said she did tell them she prayed for God to help and forgive her.

After the hearing, S’te Elmore, a former foster mother of Angelina and Elisa Espalin, took a few minutes to talk about Angelina and the “unimaginable” circumstances of her death.

“She was very outspoken, outgoing … once she set her mind to something, that was it,” Elmore said. “She’d tell you like it was and she wasn’t afraid to do that.”

“I don’t understand why she (Haros) didn’t take the steps to get help, give the girls back or do something to prevent it,” Elmore added.

Family members and friends of Haros who attended the preliminary hearing denied a request to comment about the case as they exited the courtroom.

Haros remains in custody in lieu of $5 million bail.