Woman charged with murdering her 92-year-old mother in Huntington Beach for financial gain

A woman arrested this week in her 92-year-old mother’s drowning death in Huntington Beach was charged Thursday with murdering her for financial gain, authorities said.

Cynthia Strange, 64, of Irvine was charged with murder with a special-circumstance allegation of murder for financial gain.

If convicted, she could face a minimum sentence of life in state prison without possibility of parole.

Her mother, Ruth Strange, was killed sometime on or before Sept. 4, the day she was found dead in the pool of her home on Vista del Sol Drive by Huntington Beach police who went there after someone reported she could not be reached, police said. The caller had tried to pick her up for a doctor’s appointment, officials said.

Ruth died by drowning and had multiple cuts on her head, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office, which did not immediately provide further details.

Cynthia is being held at Orange County Jail and is scheduled to appear in Orange County Superior Court on Oct. 19 for an arraignment hearing.

julia.sclafani@latimes.com