The mother of a little girl who was murdered by a maintenance man in Canton has been arrested herself on child cruelty charges.

Sgt. Stacy Bailey with the Canton Police Department tells WSB they were called to the Walden Crossing Apartments just before 7 p.m. Monday about a domestic dispute between Joselinne Rivera-Ruiz and her partner Maria Americano.

Americano says when she tried to leave the apartment, Rivera-Ruiz held her down and that's when she hit Rivera-Ruiz.

Rivera-Ruiz's one and four-year-old children were at the apartment when the incident happened. So was Americano's 17-year-old daughter.

Besides being charged with battery, Rivera-Ruiz was charged with cruelty to children.

"If you have the children in a situation where they witness this type of stuff, that's where these come into place," said Bailey.

The children were released into the custody of their aunt.

In December, Rivera-Ruiz' daughter Jorelys was found dead inside a trash compactor at the complex.

20-year-old Ryan Brunn, who was arrested and confessed to the crime, and who was sentenced to life in prison, hanged himself in his jail cell.