Los Angeles, California (CNN) - The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the death of a woman who was found unresponsive in a police car.
She later died at a local hospital, while still in police custody.
Officers say they struggled with Alesia Thomas as she resisted arrest outside her apartment last month.
They say she abandoned her two young children at a police station.
The L-A Times reports a female officer threatened to kick Thomas in the genitals and allegedly did so before putting her in the squad car.
A neighbor says he saw the scuffle. "There were two police down (unclear) handcuffs. That's all I seen."
(reporter) "They had her down on the ground?"
"Yeah."
(reporter) "Was she screaming or anything?"
"Yeah, yeah." The officers involved have been removed from field duty.
LAPD's chief says he takes all in-custody death investigations very seriously.
He also says he is confident the department will get to truth, no matter where it leads.