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The suit was brought on behalf of the two younger sisters of
Arabella McCormack, who died in August 2022. The girls were 6
and 7 at the time. Their adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, and
her 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.
The lawsuit alleged a systematic failure across the city and
several agencies and organizations to not report Arabella
McCormack's abuse.
The settlement includes $10 million from the city of San Diego,
$10 million from San Diego County, $8.5 million from Pacific
Coast Academy and $3 million from Rock Church, the sisters'
attorney Craig McClellan said. The school oversaw Arabella
McCormack's homeschooling, 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 they could use to hit
their children with.
San Diego sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of a child in
distress at the McCormack home Aug. 30, 2022. They found
Arabella McCormack severely malnourished with bruises,
authorities said. She was taken to a hospital where she died.
Her sisters are now 9 and 11 and living with a foster mother.
They are in good health and “doing pretty well considering all
things," McClellan said.
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