A California megachurch leader and her parents have been arrested for the alleged murder and torture of an 11-year-old girl.
On August 30, emergency vehicles responded to a call for a child in distress at a home in Spring Valley. A young girl named Arabella McCormack was taken to the hospital that morning, but unfortunately she died that same day.
According to NBC 7, the girl, who was adopted, had two younger sisters, ages 6 and 7. Both were removed from the home and also admitted to the hospital for a few days.
According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the girl's adoptive father, Brian McCormack, took his own life outside the family’s home when he was approached by officers on the day of his daughter's death.
Now, nearly two months after the tragedy, three arrests have been made.
Leticia McCormack, 49 and a longtime elder at Rock Church in San Diego, was arrested and charged with murder in connection to the death of Arabella McCormack. She was also charged with three counts of torture and three counts of willful and cruelty to a child, according to a report released by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
Authorities also arrested McCormack's father — Arabella's 75-year-old grandfather, Stanley Tom — on charges of murder, three counts of torture, and three counts of willful and cruelty to a child. Tom's wife, Adella Tom, was arrested for three counts of torture and three counts of willful cruelty to a child.
In October, the San Diego County Child Welfare Services performed its own investigation and concluded that Arabella McCormack's death was due to both abuse and neglect.
The young girl and her two sisters were initially fostered before being adopted by Brian and Leticia McCormack years ago, officials said.
NBC 7 reports that Leticia McCormack was an ordained elder and ministry leadership program coordinator at Rock Church, a congregation founded and led by former NFL player Miles McPherson. However, her leadership profile has been removed from the church's website.
Following the arrests, a spokesperson for the organization told NBC 7 that the church “no longer has any official relationship with Leticia."
"Her ordination at Rock Church was previously suspended and is in the process of being revoked," they added.
The spokesperson also expressed the congregation's desire for justice in this case: "The legal process will run its course and we hope justice for Arabella and her sisters will be served."
All three defendants appeared in court on Wednesday to plead not guilty to charges.
Times at San Diego reports that Arabella’s biological mother, Torriana Florey, spoke to reporters at the El Cajon courthouse. She reportedly said her daughter had “multiple fractures that were healing” and was “very malnourished” at the time of her death.
Florey explained that all three of her children started living with Brian and Leticia McCormack in 2017 and were officially adopted in 2019.
The counts of torture and child abuse listed on the criminal complaint say those crimes happened between January 1, 2017, and the date of the young girl’s death.
