A preliminary hearing in San Jose has shed light on the disturbing details surrounding the death of a 3-year-old girl, Arely Naomi Proctor. Three individuals, including the child's mother, Claudia Hernandez, her grandfather, Rene Trigueros Hernandez, and uncle, Rene Hernandez Santos, are facing charges of felony child abuse resulting in death. The prosecution alleges the trio performed a ritual believed to "liberate" Arely from demonic possession, which tragically ended in her asphyxiation, as reported by NBC Bay Area.
The investigation suggests the girl was subjected to over 12 hours of physical abuse during the ritual, where she was repeatedly strangled, had her mouth and tongue injured, and faced intense pressure to her body. These disturbing details emerged when San Jose Police Department Lt. J.J. Vallejo took the stand, describing interviews he conducted with the defendants. Vallejo recalled a conversation where the child's mother reportedly said that God had taken Arely and that "everything was going to be ok," according to an interview with The Mercury News.
The case stems from a September 2021 incident at a small Pentecostal church in San Jose, where the defendants believed the child was possessed after potentially viewing something sinister on her mother's cell phone. Despite the mother's claims of an act of divinity and the grandfather's assertion that the ritual was not an exorcism, none of the family members attempted life-saving measures for Arely when she became unresponsive. Instead, they chose to believe they would not be found guilty for their actions, as told to investigators.
In a twist of fate, the exorcism death did not become public knowledge until eight months after the incident, when an unrelated police investigation brought attention to the church. During the preliminary hearing, which is set to conclude next Tuesday, defense lawyers sought to prove the absence of homicidal intent by the accused. "None of these individuals said they intended to kill Arely, correct?" asked Dana Fite, representing Trigueros Hernandez, which prompted agreement from Lt. Vallejo. Judge Hanley Chew will decide if there is enough evidence to move the case to trial after the hearing concludes, as The Mercury News reported.
