CA - Aarabella McCormack, 11, Murdered, 2 Siblings Abused and Tortured by Adoptive Caregivers, San Diego, Nov 2022

[Curious Me]

The biological mother of Aarabella and her two siblings shares that she never abused her children. In fact, she's hoping to get custody of her two surviving children. She gave them up for adoption thinking it might be best for the children, and what happened to them has left her feeling a great deal of undeserved guilt and heartache.

Her little girl died in the care of the adoptive family. That family abused her little girl to death! Aarabella was terribly abused by the adoptive family, and it seems other people were aware of it to some extent, so I think the mother is justified in filing this wrongful death claim.

​

March 8, 2023 Published 10 mins ago

Claim Filed Against San Diego County in Wake of Girl's Child Abuse Death

Eleven-year-old Aarabella McCormack died in the hospital last August. Prosecutors say she was severely malnourished, weighing just 48 pounds at the time. They also say her body was covered in bruises and doctors found 15 still-healing bone fractures.

www.nbcsandiego.com

A San Diego mother filed a $10 million wrongful death claim against the county last month, saying Child Welfare Services failed her 11-year-old biological daughter, Aarabella McCormack, who died in the hospital last August. Prosecutors say she was severely malnourished, weighing just 48 pounds at the time. They also say her body was covered in bruises and doctors found 15 still-healing bone fractures.

Florey didn’t want to talk about how she knows many of the accusations she’s leveling in the claim, citing fears it may jeopardize her child custody case. Her claim is a required first step under California law prior to filing a civil lawsuit.

It is unclear what, if anything, Child Welfare Services knew about the abuse. The county has repeatedly denied NBC 7 Investigates’ requests for records tied to the case, including Aarabella’s cause of death. It cites public records exemptions that protect information connected to active criminal investigations and sensitive information about the surviving siblings. NBC 7 Investigates reached out to county officials multiple times to give them an opportunity to respond to Florey's filing but never heard back.​

Note that the abusive adoptive grandmother, the one most abusive and called the ring leader, was granted bail this week. (see post up-thread)​

Grandmother and Alleged "Ring Leader" of Child Abuse Case Granted Bail

An adoptive grandmother accused of three counts of child abuse and three counts of torture has been granted bail set at $100,000.

www.nbcsandiego.com

 

[Curious Me]

Claim Filed Against San Diego County in Wake of Girl's Child Abuse Death
"Aarabella McCormack’s biological mother says social workers didn’t properly investigate reports of suspected..."

Please watch this news video.

Claim Filed Against San Diego County in Wake of Girl's Child Abuse Death

Aarabella McCormack’s biological mother says social workers didn’t properly investigate reports of suspected child abuse, reports NBC 7’s Alexis Rivas.

www.nbcsandiego.com

 

[renah]

Is it just me? Did anyone else feel the interviewer seemed disrespectful to the bio mom?

 

[Curious Me]

Is it just me? Did anyone else feel the interviewer seemed disrespectful to the bio mom?

@renah, we need people to take an interest in these cases, so thank you. I watched the video again. No, sorry, I didn't detect disrespect. I think the news interviewer seemed respectful enough, and reported the issues on both sides objectively. I'm glad the bio mom is getting a chance to speak to the public on the news report.

Of course, people are going to wonder why the biological mother is now filing a $10 million wrongful death claim against the county last month, saying Child Welfare Services failed her 11-year-old biological daughter, Aarabella McCormack. The interviewer did also explain how the agency is not supplying enough information, and they've had trouble getting info from that agency.

Not only should the people arrested pay the price of Aarabella's death, but the agency that placed her and bio mom's two other children with that family that were so abusive that there was a death, but that's MOO. ​

Please watch this news video here:

Claim Filed Against San Diego County in Wake of Girl's Child Abuse Death

Aarabella McCormack’s biological mother says social workers didn’t properly investigate reports of suspected child abuse, reports NBC 7’s Alexis Rivas.

www.nbcsandiego.com

 

[Dolliellama]

Well I am NOT finding ANY current articles about Adella's bond review hearing & the court site just shows me the next hearing dates. Does not have individual court stuff.
I would think the Judge denied her bond/bail - as he did the first time.

If someone local find anything - please post!


Docket updates:

Defendant: Leticia Diane McCormack Defense Counsel: Gregory Garrison
Court No. CE414848 Date: 01/18/2023 Time: 08:30 AM Judge
Event: Preliminary Exam Readiness

Location:
San Diego Superior Court, East County Division, East County Regional Center, Dept. 2


Defendant: Adella Juanita Tom Defense Counsel: Randy Wagner
Court No. CE414848 Date: 01/18/2023 Time: 08:30 AM Judge
Event: Preliminary Exam Readiness

Location:
San Diego Superior Court, East County Division, East County Regional Center, Dept. 2


Defendant: Stanley Tom Defense Counsel: Shervin Samimi
Court No. CE414848 Date: 01/18/2023 Time: 08:30 AM Judge
Event: Preliminary Exam Readiness

Location:
San Diego Superior Court, East County Division, East County Regional Center, Dept. 2


link: Case Information, Search - San Diego County District Attorney

 

[Niner]

Hmm... for some reason I can quote or reply to your post above @Dolliellama - first Welcome to WS & this case!

the link you provided I can not access - and those are some OLD hearing dates that you posted.

All of them are due in court on 5/23/23.

 

[Dolliellama]

HI Niner, sorry, brand new and just getting used to the site. I did not purposely post anything but definitely could have lol. McCormack case of particular interest to me as I live near the victims and the investigation is pretty tight lipped. Still horrified Adella Tom was given bail. Its a tragic case and so little info available.

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, May 23rd:
*Preliminary Exam Hearing for all (@ 8:40am PT) - CA - Aarabella McCormack (11) tortured & abuse & died & 2 sisters (6 & 7) abused & tortured, August 30, 2022, San Diego) – *Leticia Diane McCormack (49) adopted “mother” indicted (11/4/22), arrested (11/7/22) & charged (11/8/22) with 1 count of murder, 3 counts of torture & 3 counts of willful child cruelty in connection with the death of Arabelle & the abuse of her other children. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
*CA -Aarabella McCormack (11) & 2 sisters (6 & 7) – *Adella Juanita Tom (70/now 71) McCormack's mother arrested (11/7/22) & charged (11/8/22) with 3 counts of torture & 3 counts of willful child cruelty. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. Bond denied (11/29/22). Bond denied (12/20/22). Bond set at $100K (3/6/23).
*CA - Aarabella McCormack (11) & 2 sisters (6 & &) - *Stanley Tom (75) McCormack's father arrested (11/7/22) & charged (11/8/22) with 1 count of murder, 3 counts of torture & 3 count of willful child cruelty. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
The three girls moved in the McCormack residence in 2017 as foster children & were adopted 2 years later. The three suspects allegedly abused & tortured McCormack’s three daughters for about five & a half years, leading up to Aarabella’s death in late August, 2022.
Case & Court info from 8/30/22 thru 1/18/23 reference post #76 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...y-adoptive-caregivers-san-diego.644196/page-4
2/1/23 Update: Court rescheduled preliminary exam hearing for all on 5/23/23. 3/2/23 Update: For Adella only: Bail review hearing on 3/6/23.
3/6/23 Update: Adella: bail review hearing: Judge Kathleen Lewis granted bail set at $100K & said she granted Tom bail based on her age, lack of a car or ability to drive, lack of specialized medical care in jail & her agreement to use a private GPS monitoring system. Tom will live with friends in San Bernardino County. Tom cannot leave the San Bernardino home other than to see her doctor/specialist & pick up medical & other necessary supplies. She is also not allowed to reach out to the victims or to the codefendants (her husband & daughter) & she agreed to a 4th amendment waiver.

 

[Niner]

An email alert for McCormacks. Looks like preliminary hearing was rescheduled.


District Attorney Case Notification <[email protected]>

10:46 AM (52 minutes ago)


THE FOLLOWING EVENT(S) HAVE BEEN ADDED FOR CASE CE414848:

Preliminary Exam scheduled for Aug 29 2023 8:40AM at the San Diego Superior Court, East County Division, East County Regional Center in Department 11.

 

[Essbee]

While I feel very sad about the bio mom's situation, I can't fathom paying $10 million to a woman who had completely lost all parental rights. They weren't just in temporary foster care, but Arabella and her sisters had been actually adopted by the evil McCormack family. Sorry, but in my mind, when she lost parental rights, I feel like she also lost the right to profit from Arabella's death. I would feel similarly if Arabella had died in some other (accidental) manner.

 

[Curious Me]

I would feel similarly if Arabella had died in some other (accidental) manner.

JMO, an accident is entirely different and would not cause the same type of feelings, or need to call attention to the adoptive process.

While I feel very sad about the bio mom's situation, I can't fathom paying $10 million to a woman who had completely lost all parental rights....

MOO and with all due respect, it doesn't sound like you actually feel very sad for the bio mom at all. The bio mom is a victim, too, of what this terrible adoptive family did. All three of her children were in their care. The bio mom isn't the one who abused them; the adoptive family did.

MOO, her law suit is a wrongful death claim like many people file after losing someone they love. After all, the bio mom did carry those children and give birth to those children, cared for them for awhile, and losing custody of them must have caused her sorrow and grieving well into the future. There'd be no law suit if the adoptive family had been suitable and not killed one of her children.

It's understandable that to have one die at the hands of the adoptive family would cause outrageous sorrow and grief for the bio mother. The blood is not on the bio mom's hands, but the adoptive family's. The adoptive father killed himself when he was going to be questioned... can you imagine why he did that?

MOO, it's not up to you or I to judge her, but to judge the adoptive family causing the death of one of her children. Her law suit is to call attention to the negligence of the county agency for allowing people like that to adopt children then torture them to death.

Three of her children were in this family's care. Losing custody of her children for whatever reason can cause regret to eat away at her over the coming years, then to have one die of abuse is outrageous.

I can only imagine how I'd feel as the bio mom knowing all the injuries and abuse Arabella suffered from the family allowed to adopt her and the other two children? Not sure this all about her "profiting", but I think she has every right to be compensated for the wrong doing of the adoptive family and the county. MOO, this is all just my own opinion though. ​

 

[Lusitana]

Legally, her biological parents had no rights over her anymore. Do they have reasons to be upset? 100% since she was removed and was so abused that she ended up dead. But I don't see how or why they would receive anything. This poor child was removed from their care for reasons that made it unsafe for her to stay under their care. Was the new placement better? We know now that it wasn't. BUT it doesn't erase the fact that her biological family did something that got her removed.

 

[evilwise]

Of course, people are going to wonder why the biological mother is now filing a $10 million wrongful death claim against the county last month

I don't care why. I'm just glad for there to be some accountability when things like this are allowed to happen.

 

[Curious Me]

Her law suit will provide further accountability. The courts will judge and decide, not us.

None of you know the circumstances or reasons why the bio mother had to give the children up for adoption, but that doesn't mean she had no feelings or love for them. Making judgements without knowing all the facts or having compassion is victim blaming. Yes, bio mom became a victim when the adoptive family abused her flesh and blood children. All MOO

 

[Lusitana]

Her law suit will provide further accountability. The courts will judge and decide, not us.

None of you know the circumstances or reasons why the bio mother had to give the children up for adoption, but that doesn't mean she had no feelings or love for them. Making judgements without knowing all the facts or having compassion is victim blaming. Yes, bio mom became a victim when the adoptive family abused her flesh and blood children. All MOO

That's not what I said though.

 

[Curious Me]

BUT it doesn't erase the fact that her biological family did something that got her removed.

You don't know the circumstances though. I understand what you're saying, but you don't really know the bio parent's circumstances or even the facts at the time.

MOO, removing the children and placing them in foster care for a time period is different than signing off and allowing adoption. The bio mother may have allowed the children to be adopted hoping they'd have a better life than what she could provide. A better LIFE is what she probably wanted for those children. ​

That's not what I said though.

JMOHO, you want to claim she had no rights after giving up the children for adoption. I understand that, but it doesn't erase the fact that those children were and are her flesh and blood. She had to trust the county to place them with a proper adoptive family, and they didn't. The county failed, and she has rights to file a law suit.

Look at that Aarabella's arms and read about her bruises. Others knew, and I believe the agency didn't do proper follow-up. In any case, this law suit is the bio mother's way of putting the blame where it belongs. ​

None of you know the circumstances or reasons why the bio mother had to give the children up for adoption, but that doesn't mean she had no feelings or love for them.

MOO, it's wrong to assume. It's wrong, IMO, to disregard parental love and feelings. Just because some parents may lose custody, have their children placed in foster homes, or even give their children up for adoption doesn't make them "the bad people" with no feelings for those children. What I'm saying isn't about only legally, but about the actual grief and remorse this bio mother has to unfairly carry now that the adoptive family killed her daughter.

This is All MOO here.​

 

[Curious Me]

Please read my posts above. I want to post this, as well, because there's a lot of judgement going on in this thread towards the bio mother who is actually also a victim. That was her daughter the adoptive family abused and were totally responsible for her death. Blaming the bio mother for filing a wrongful death suit seems wrong. Wouldn't you want to do the same to seek justice for your child's wrongful death?

Claim Filed Against San Diego County in Wake of Girl's Child Abuse Death

Eleven-year-old Aarabella McCormack died in the hospital last August. Prosecutors say she was severely malnourished, weighing just 48 pounds at the time. They also say her body was covered in bruises and doctors found 15 still-healing bone fractures.

www.nbcsandiego.com

Florey said social workers didn’t properly vet the McCormacks, didn’t properly investigate suspected abuse reports and didn’t ensure Aarabella was receiving proper medical care.

“The county needs to be held responsible for the death of my daughter,” Florey told NBC 7. “I’m not going to let it go. And I’m not going to stand down for my daughter. My daughter is going to have a voice.”

The claim says the county took custody of Aarabella and her two younger sisters in 2016. Florey said she was in a tumultuous relationship at the time, and the county did not want the children exposed to domestic violence between the couple. She is adamant she was never accused of abusing her girls. Florey said she is in a much better place now, has gone through therapy and is fighting to regain custody of her two youngest daughters. For now, the girls have been placed with a foster family.
​

BBM and UBM and ALL MOO

 

[Lusitana]

The truth is that the biological family no longer had legal rights to Aarabella. Her being their "flesh and blood" doesn't legally give them any rights because she was legally adopted. The monsters who murdered her where, legally, her parents. Those are the facts. The biological family can sue all they want but they no longer had a say in anything regarding Aarabella.

Aarabella and her siblings are the victims here. I'm not judging her parents for allowing her to be adopted and I honestly respect their decision if they realized they were simply not capable of caring for them and wanted better for them. BUT, that doesn't change the fact that they no longer had rights over her and were no longer legally considered her parents. That's all.

 

[evilwise]

The truth is that the biological family no longer had legal rights to Aarabella. Her being their "flesh and blood" doesn't legally give them any rights because she was legally adopted. The monsters who murdered her where, legally, her parents. Those are the facts. The biological family can sue all they want but they no longer had a say in anything regarding Aarabella.

Aarabella and her siblings are the victims here. I'm not judging her parents for allowing her to be adopted and I honestly respect their decision if they realized they were simply not capable of caring for them and wanted better for them. BUT, that doesn't change the fact that they no longer had rights over her and were no longer legally considered her parents. That's all.

I feel pretty confident that the state has some amount of legal obligation to parents when they accept an offer of adoption. I have not read anything to make me believe they were seized, in which case I would be more willing to believe their liability is only to society (which has a harder time demanding accountability) but still dubious.

 

[Curious Me]

The truth is that the biological family no longer had legal rights to Aarabella. Her being their "flesh and blood" doesn't legally give them any rights because she was legally adopted...

Yes, I understand that you think legal is the end-all of this battle, but it isn't. The two other children were taken out of the abusive adoptive parent's home and placed in foster care, so "the parenthood issue" is in Limbo at this time. The bio mother has voiced wanting to gain custody of them again in the future. ​

(the bio mother) Florey said her three children started living with the McCormacks in 2017 and were adopted by Brian and Leticia McCormack in 2019. The torture and child abuse counts listed on the criminal complaint allege those crimes occurred between Jan. 1, 2017 and the date of Aarabella’s death.​

Adoptive Family Pleads Not Guilty to Murder, Torture in Death of Spring Valley Girl, 11

The adoptive mother and grandparents of an 11-year-old girl who died after being found in grave condition at a Spring Valley home last summer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that include murder and torture.

timesofsandiego.com

...What I'm saying isn't about only legally, but about the actual grief and remorse this bio mother has to unfairly carry now that the adoptive family killed her daughter....

Look at Aarabella's arms hidden in those gloves. It may be proven that abuse reports were ignored by the county agency.

Wrongful death suits aren't always about rights of parenthood claims. This was a wrongful death, and it certainly affected the bio mother, and it just so happens the bio mother is going to fight this in court. Apparently, she still has some rights to do so.

Apples vs Oranges, we're talking different view points, and I do respect what you're saying. However, this isn't only about legal parental rights, but it's also about the emotional burden on the bio mother now to seek Justice for her flesh and blood daughter's wrongful death. She also hopes to regain custody of her other two children now in foster care. The county's placement of those three children to such an abusive adoptive family and not following up on neglect and abuse reports, if can be proven, is at the crux of this legal battle.

MOO, if you do the math, it seems this has to be a pic of her before adoption. Happy, healthy before, but now dead from abuse by adoptive parents.

​

Victim Aarabella McCormack from video on NBC San Diego.