A megachurch leader from San Diego has been arrested with her two parents following the death of an 11-year-old girl who was allegedly tortured and murdered.
Leticia McCormack, 49, leader at Rock Church in San Diego, the megachurch founded and led by former NFL player Miles McPherson, and her parents, Adella Tom, 70, and Stanley Tom, 75, were all arrested Monday in connection with the death of 11-year-old Aarabella McCormack last August, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Her name also appears as Arabella in the records of the county Sheriff's Department.
McCormack, whose leadership profile has since been removed from the Rock Church's website, is Aarabella's adoptive mom, along with her two other sisters, ages six and seven, who are now safe with a foster family.
The mother is charged with murder, 3 counts of torture and 3 counts of willful and cruelty to a child, as allegedly it wasn't only Aarabelle who was tortured but also her other two sisters.
Stanley has the same charges as his daughter, while Adella has been charged for 3 counts of torture and 3 counts of willful and cruelty to a child, according to police statement.
Death due to child abuse?
In late August, police urgently responded to a child in distress call around 2 a.m. on August 30 at a house in Lakeview Drive, Spring Valley, and found Aarabella there covered in bruises, as per the statement provided to People from the office of San Diego's Sheriff.
The girl was then rushed to a hospital where she died, and was discovered to have been suffering "severe levels of malnourishment," as stated by a police spokesperson to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
As detectives were processing the scene last August 30, Aarabella's dad and McCormack's husband, Brian, drove up to their home. However, and what's even more alarming, when authorities contacted and approached him, he shot and killed himself in his pickup, sheriff's Lt. Chris Steffen narrated.
He further said that they don't yet have a clear evidence or information that the father, a Border Patrol agent, was involved in the alleged torturing of the child, and as to why he committed suicide.
Aarabella's biological aunt, Sara Huffstutler, stated that Child Protective Services took in the girl and her sisters in 2017 for reasons that were unclear to her. The McCormicks then fostered the girls and later adopted them in 2019.
Huffstutler said that after the adoption, Aarabella was pulled out of school and all three girls were homeschooled.
She further stated that if the murder and child abuse be proven, she wants everyone involved to be held responsible.
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Statement from Rock Church
The Child Welfare Services investigation has already determined that the death of the girl was a result of child abuse and neglect.
The Rock Church, in a statement given to NBC San Diego, confirmed that it is in the "process of severing ties with McCormack."
"The Rock no longer has any official relationship with Leticia. Her ordination at Rock Church was previously suspended and is in the process of being revoked. We continue to grieve for Arabella and her sisters. We are so sorry that their family and friends are experiencing this unimaginable loss and pain. We send our deepest condolences to all that are grieving at this time. Our hearts go out to each of them. The legal process will run its course and we hope justice for Arabella and her sisters will be served. We are praying that God's love and grace will bring comfort and healing," the statement reads.
There is still no definite information whether McCormack and her parents have taken legal representation to comment on their behalf. All three pleaded not guilty on Wednesday but remain in custody without bail, The Times of San Diego reported,
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