Disclaimer: The article contains mention of murder and abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
In November 2022, the authorities arrested three family members in connection with Arabella McCormack’s death in August 2022. The police apprehended Arabella’s mother, Leticia McCormack, and the child’s grandparents for the death of the 11-year-old girl.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the police took three people into custody after responding to a distress call in August 2022. As per the outlet, the child was distressed and taken to hospital. Citing the authorities, the outlet also mentioned the investigators observed possible signs of child abuse. Additionally, the police suggested that the girl endured “several levels of malnourishment.” The girl also had signs of bruising.
The authorities booked Leticia McCormack on one count of murder and three counts each of torture and willful cruelty to a child. Meanwhile, Arabella’s grandfather, Stanley Tom, also faced the same charges. On the other hand, the authorities booked Adella Tom on “three counts each of torture and willful cruelty to a child,” per CBS News.
Arabella McCormack’s case explored
On August 30, 2022, the authorities responded to a call about a child in distress in Lakeview Drive. According to Daily Mail, Arabella McCormack’s adoptive parents—Leticia and Brian McCormack—called 911 and said Arabella choked on chicken broth. The paramedics arrived and discovered Arabella’s body on the floor without a pulse. The paramedics took her to the hospital and hoped to revive the girl. Sadly, she died less than 10 hours later at the hospital. The outlet also mentioned that Brian McCormack shot himself in front of the officers.
Citing the prosecutors, People Magazine reported that Leticia and her parents “worked as a team” to perpetrate over 700 acts of abuse on Arabella McCormack that led to her death. Meanwhile, as per NBC San Diego, Leticia and her parents repeatedly “physically abused” Arabella and her two younger sisters with paddles and sticks. Additionally, the trio would deprive them of food and water. According to the prosecutors, the trio isolated the children in their rooms and stopped them from going to the bathroom.
Child Welfare investigated abuse reports long before Arabella’s death
Apart from the statements made by prosecutors, one of the startling revelations came out when NBC San Diego reported that the county investigated reports of suspected child abuse years before Arabella McCormack’s death. According to the documents obtained, the outlet mentioned that the Child Welfare Services investigated the suspected charges of abuse in the past. But they couldn’t find anything.
The first reported case of abuse happened in 2018. At the time, teachers at Highlands Elementary School shared concerns about the controlling behavior shown by the McCormacks, who were Arabella’s foster parents at the time. Meanwhile, the outlet mentioned another instance when Brian grabbed Arabella and pinned her down to see if she had candies. Arabella told school workers that her parents stripped her pants and poured cold water on her head.
The abuse continued till the day she died. According to a couple of photos in the medical report, Arabella had skeletal legs and knees. Additionally, it showed one of her swollen hands. As per a report in the New York Post, Arabella weighed just 48 pounds at the time of her death. The prosecutor said that Arabella’s condition was so bad that “her bones protruded from her skin.”
Currently, all three accused are charged with murder, conspiracy to commit child torture, child abuse, and torture. According to People Magazine, if the trio is found guilty on all counts, they could be sentenced to 46 years in prison.
