Aarabella McCormack weighed 48 pounds at the time of her untimely death at just 11 years old, which is less than what she weighed at five years old, prosecutors revealed Tuesday during a bail review hearing.
In El Cajon Superior Court, Deputy District Attorney Meridith Pro said the 11-year-old girl was “severely emaciated” at the time of her death, and suffered 15 bone fractures, likely occured within the last four months of her life.
Aarabella died on Aug.30.
Law enforcement found her unresponsive on the floor just before 2 a.m, in the defendant’s Spring Valley home.
According to Pro, Aarabella's adoptive mother Leticia McCormack, 49, and her parents, 70-year-old Adella Tom and 75-year-old Stanley Tom, are to blame for the girl's death. They are also accused of abusing, and Arabella's two sisters, ages 6 and 7, who were emaciated, malnourished, and in need of immediate medical care, according to Pro.
McCormack and her two parents pleaded guilty in early November to charges of child abuse and torture. McCormack and Stanly Tom are charged with murder in Arabella's death.
All three face multiple life terms if convicted.
While explaining that she must assume the allegations are true for the purpose of setting bail, Judge Kathleen Lewis denied the bail request for Leticia and Adella. Stanley Tom previously waived his right to revisit his no-bail status.
“I think anyone who is capable of doing the acts that are presented by the D.A. makes them a threat to members of the public,'' Lewis said.
Aarabella's father, Brian McCormack, a Border Patrol veteran of 19 years, killed himself the same day of her death. Prosecutors said he would also be charged if she were alive.
Prosecutors described Leticia McCormack as the “ringleader'' in the alleged abuse, but the McCormacks and Toms “all worked together to starve'' the children by withholding food and water and at other times, “physically abused them with paddles and sticks.''
Prosecutors revealed that Brian “communicated” to Leticia that he thought Aarabella was starving to death and believed she was going to die” in the days leading to her death.
Prosecutors said the children were kept isolated in their bedrooms, not allowed to have friends, and were not allowed to use the bathroom when they needed.
Gregory Garrison, who represents McCormack, said his client is also not a flight risk. Garrison said she lacks a valid passport, doesn't speak any foreign languages, and has no ties to anyone outside of the United States. Randy Wagner, Tom's attorney, said much of the same regarding his client, adding that she is 70 years old and does not drive.
The three girls began living with the McCormacks in 2017 and were adopted by Brian and Leticia McCormack in 2019. The torture and child abuse counts listed on the criminal complaint allege those crimes occurred between Jan. 1, 2017, and the date of Arabella's death.
According to Pro, the two surviving girls are afraid of the defendants.
“They have expressed that they are happy that these two individuals are in custody and that they hope that they remain there because it makes them feel safe,'' the prosecutor said. “The People believe anyone who has this ability to commit crimes of this nature against children who are defenseless… are exactly the type of people that no bail is appropriate for.''
