Three members of the family charged within the killing of a 3-year-old lady throughout an “exorcism” ritual at a San Jose church in 2021 have been ordered to face trial within the case, authorities stated.
Santa Clara County Decide Hanley Chew dominated on Might 13 that there’s sufficient proof in opposition to the deceased lady’s mom, Claudia Hernandez-Santos, 26; her uncle, Rene “Aaron” Hernandez-Santos, 20; and her grandfather, Rene Trigueros Hernandez, 60, to proceed with a trial, in response to court docket data.
The trio pleaded not responsible Monday to 1 felony rely of kid abuse ensuing within the loss of life of toddler Arely Naomi Proctor, court docket data present. Their subsequent trial setting listening to is scheduled for Aug. 14; all three are being held with out bail. If convicted, they every face 25 years to life in jail.
Proctor died Sept. 24, 2021, inside Iglesia Apostoles y Profetas, a Pentecostal church run by Trigueros Hernandez, authorities stated. The members of the family had been attempting to carry out a ritual to exorcise a “demon,” throughout which prosecutors say they squeezed and choked the younger lady and tried to get her to vomit.
A coroner’s report decided that Arely died from asphyxiation and had blood in her lungs, mind swelling and accidents on her neck and inside her mouth.
“Throughout this assault, Arely Doe fought for her life as three trusted adults forcibly grabbed her by her neck, torso, again, and legs, smothered her by repeatedly making an attempt to pry open her mouth to make her vomit, and held her with a lot power that she had inner bleeding and accidents,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Rebekah Clever wrote in a earlier submitting.
“The proof reveals that whereas this assault was ongoing, Arely struggled to flee from her abusers. She clamped her mouth in resistance to the adults who had been attempting to pry it open.”
Throughout a earlier preliminary listening to, police detectives testified about interviews they’d with the members of the family after the lady’s loss of life.
Claudia Hernandez-Santos informed police that she believed her daughter was “possessed.”
“Arely appeared totally different. Her eyes had been totally different. They appeared empty and it ‘wasn’t her,’” she stated, in response to court docket data.
