In Mexico, 1673, two young boys delight their mother, Marisol Ramirez, with a cherished pendant. They share a joyful moment, dancing hand in hand until the youngest boy’s eyes open to a chilling emptiness; his family has vanished. In panic, he roams their surroundings, calling for his mother and brother, only to witness a harrowing scene: his mother drowning his brother in the river. A dreadful chase ensues, ending with the mother seizing him and pulling him into the depths.
Fast forward to Los Angeles, 1973, where social worker Anna Tate-Garcia is preparing her two children, Chris and Sam, for school. Missing the bus turns out to be a minor inconvenience compared to the alarming news she overhears at work regarding Patricia Alvarez, a mother whose boys, Tomas and Carlos, have been absent from school. Eager to check on their wellbeing, Anna persuades her boss to allow her to investigate.
Upon arriving at the Alvarez residence with Officer Claro, Anna encounters resistance from Patricia, who seems desperate to keep them away. However, as they push inside, Patricia confesses to hearing a mysterious woman’s cries. Sensing danger, Anna discovers the boys trapped in a closet, but a frantic Patricia attempts to halt her. With Officer Claro’s intervention, Anna rescues the boys, but not before noticing burn marks scarring their wrists, raising alarm bells about their circumstances.
At home, widowed Anna struggles with her dual role as a mother, constantly reminded of her late husband, who died heroically on duty. That night, a haunting encounter unfolds when Carlos hears the sound of sobbing. Though he tries to wake Tomas, it’s futile. Drawn toward the commotion, Carlos follows Tomas, who seems entranced, pointing toward a reflection. In a horrifying revelation, Carlos finds himself face-to-face with the malevolent spirit of La Llorona.
Anna’s nightmare escalates when Detective Cooper calls her to the hospital, where the boys’ lifeless bodies have been discovered in the river. Devastated, Patricia accuses Anna of causing their deaths, as she attempted to protect them from La Llorona. In the meantime, Chris inadvertently encounters the spirit in a horrifying moment of vulnerability, feeling her icy grip burn his arm.
As events unfold, Anna witnesses ritualistic cleansing at the Alvarez home, meeting Father Perez, who elaborates on La Llorona’s tragic tale: a mother torn apart by betrayal, driven to madness, who ultimately drowned her children and herself, forever barred from the afterlife. The haunting continues when Sam, playing innocently outside, finds herself in La Llorona's grasp, feeling the searing burn of the spirit's touch.
Desperate for answers, Anna confronts Patricia in prison, who rages against her for not praying for her children’s salvation. That night, the fears materialize as Anna hears the chilling manifestations of La Llorona. Attempts to shield her children lead to spine-chilling encounters, with La Llorona viciously attacking Anna while threatening to drown Sam during a bath.
Turning to spirituality for protection, Anna seeks help from a former priest, Rafael Olvera, who reluctantly agrees to intervene after seeing the depth of their plight. As they investigate the sinister presence encroaching upon the family, Rafael concocts protective rituals using La Llorona’s tears as a countermeasure.
Tension builds as La Llorona’s attacks intensify. When the children inadvertently break sacred barriers, Sam is nearly taken. In a heart-pounding climax, Anna fights desperately to save her daughter, aided by Rafael and the power of sacred objects. With a noble stand, Anna stabs La Llorona, dispelling the curse and conquering the relentless terror that has haunted their lives.
As dawn breaks, Rafael bids Anna and her children farewell, leaving them to grapple with the shadows of their traumatic experiences, specifically a lingering puddle of tears on the sidewalk—a reminder of the sorrow they narrowly escaped.
