Mum charged with murdering her five-year-old daughter smirks in mugshot

This is the smiling face of a mother who has been charged with the brutal murder of her own five-year-old daughter.

Krystle Villanueva appears to smirk in the mugshot for police after she allegedly mutilated and stabbed Giovanna Hernandez at their home in Hays County, Texas last week.

The 24-year-old has also been accused of stabbing her father-in-law Eustorgio Arellano-Uresti during the incident.

He survived the stabbing and told police how he saw his daughter-in-law take a knife and head to one of the bedrooms inside the property.

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Mr Arellano-Uresti also claimed that he heard the girl crying before he himself was stabbed in the back and the forehead.

He was then allegedly chased out of the property by Villanueva, who eyewitnesses say was holding a shotgun.

Police later found the body of the child in the bedroom.

Sheriff Gary Cutler said: “This is one of the worst cases I’ve ever seen.

“The suspect has had minor issues with law enforcement in the past, nothing major.”

Court documents show Villanueva had a history of drug abuse and was diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia and ADHD.

She has been charged with capital murder and aggravated assault.

Top pic: Police handout