The Daily Populous Sunday December 14th, 2025 night edition
Authored by theguardian.com and submitted by speedythefirst

A lawsuit over the death of an 11-year-old California girl who was allegedly tortured and starved by her adoptive family reached a settlement on Friday totaling $31.5m from the city and county of San Diego as well as other groups.

The suit was brought on behalf of the two younger sisters of Arabella McCormack, who died in August 2022. The girls were ages six and seven at the time. Their adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, and McCormack’s parents, Adella and Stanley Tom, are facing charges of murder, conspiracy, child abuse and torture. They pleaded not guilty to all charges, and their criminal case is ongoing.

View image in fullscreen Arabella McCormack. Photograph: San Diego county sheriff's office

The lawsuit alleged a systemic failure across the city and several agencies and organizations to not report Arabella McCormack’s abuse.

The settlement includes $10m from the city of San Diego, $10m from San Diego county, $8.5m from the Pacific Coast Academy and $3m from the Rock church, the sisters’ attorney, Craig McClellan, said. The school oversaw Arabella McCormack’s home schooling, and her adoptive mother was an ordained elder at the church.

“The amount is going to be enough to take care of the girls for the rest of the lives,” McClellan said. But it “isn’t going to be enough and never could be enough … to replace their sister, nor is it going to erase the memories of what they went through”.

The lawsuit said county social workers did not properly investigate abuse claims and two teachers at the Pacific Coast Academy failed to report the girl’s condition. It also said a San Diego police officer, a friend of the girl’s adoptive mother, gave the family a wooden paddle that they could use to hit their children.

San Diego sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of a child in distress at the McCormack home 30 August 2022. They found Arabella McCormack severely malnourished with bruises, authorities said. She was taken to a hospital, where she died.

Her sisters are now nine and 11 and living with a foster mother. They are in good health and “doing pretty well considering all things”, McClellan said.

nattakunt on December 13rd, 2025 at 18:43 UTC »

So many adults failed these girls. Not surprised that the teachers at Pacific Coast academy, a study-at-home charter school, also didn't find anything amiss with the situation.

AuthorityAnarchyYes on December 13rd, 2025 at 18:04 UTC »

WTF?!?!?!?!

Of course, the witch was an Elder in her church and a police officer friend GAVE THEM A WOODEN PADDLE…. That poor girl.

My hope is that these two animals get convicted and are shown in prison exactly the same “kindness” that they showed to Arabella McCormack, day after day, week after week and year after year.

sportsworker777 on December 13rd, 2025 at 18:03 UTC »

> It also said a San Diego police officer, a friend of the girl’s adoptive mother, gave the family a wooden paddle that they could use to hit their children

I don't see a single thing mentioned about possible charges for this piece of shit who enabled it. Several parties were alerted to it and nothing came of it. Horrible to see that the social worker, of all people, wasn't able to help this poor girl