SAN DIEGO — The adoptive grandmother of an 11-year-old girl who died from severe abuse and torture in 2022 has been charged with murder.
According to an amended complaint released this week, San Diego prosecutors have now charged Adella Tom, 72, with murder related to the death of 11-year-old Arabella McCormack.
Arabella died in 2022 after she was found in grave condition, suffering from severe malnutrition, abuse and torture at the hands of her adoptive parents and grandparents.
Arabella's adopted father, Brian McCormack, a Border Patrol Agent, shot himself to death inside his truck hours after deputies were called to the home in 2022.
With the filing of the amended complaint, Arabella’s adoptive mother Leticia McCormack, grandfather Stanley Tom and grandmother Adella Tom are now all charged with murder, child abuse and torture.
Adella was the only family member not initially charged with murder when they were first arraigned in 2022.
According to the complaint, the three family members are also now charged with 691 overt acts of conspiracy to commit child torture.
Prosecutors allege that the family members subjected Arabella and her two younger sisters to torture and abuse that included food and water deprivation, physical abuse, forcing them to participate in rigorous physical activity and preventing them from using the bathroom.
The three girls’ adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, served as an elder and ministry leadership coordinator at the Rock Church and also volunteered as a "Crisis Intervention Specialist" for the San Diego Police Department.
McCormack's parents, the girls' adoptive grandparents, Stanley and Adella Tom were also volunteers with the San Diego Police Department.
Leticia, Stanley and Adella pleaded not guilty to their initial charges in court in Nov. 2022.
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