San Diego prosecutors pursue death penalty for mother accused of starving adopted child

In August 2022, deputies in Spring Valley rushed 11-year-old Arabella McCormack to a hospital where she died hours later, weighed 48 pounds and bore numerous bruises and fractures. Prosecutors allege that her adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, an ordained elder and youth minister, along with her adoptive grandparents Adella and Stanley Tom, deliberately starved and tortured the girl. The district attorney’s office disclosed its intention to pursue the death penalty against Leticia, marking a rare move in California where executions have not occurred since 2006 and a moratorium exists.

The grandparents face possible life imprisonment without parole, and all three have pleaded not guilty to charges including murder and child abuse. Trials are set for February 2027 for the grandparents and August 2027 for Leticia, with a status hearing slated for November 17.