Girl slain in San Jose church exorcism tried to escape: court documents

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — Three-year-old Arely Naomi Proctor fought for her life and tried to escape from a San Jose church where her mother, uncle, and grandfather allegedly performed a disturbing exorcism to cast out a “demon,” newly filed court documents state.

“Over the course of approximately twenty hours … Arely Doe fought for her life as three trusted adults forcibly grabbed her by the neck. While this assault was ongoing, Arely struggled to escape from her abusers. The victim repeatedly said ‘No!'” Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise wrote in court documents.

The girl also told her mother, “I love you,” Wise wrote.

Arely’s final moments were described in detail by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s 50-page memorandum. The memorandum filed April 3 outlines the DA’s case against Arely’s mother, Claudia Hernandez, uncle, Rene “Aaron” Hernandez Santos, and grandfather, Rene Trigueros Hernandez.

Judge Hanley Chew will make a ruling to decide if the DA has enough evidence for the case to move forward to trial. Claudia, Aaron, and Rene have pleaded not guilty to felony assault on a child younger than eight causing death. A preliminary hearing was held in March, however, the judge will not making a ruling until May 10.

Arely died on Sept. 24, 2021. The girl’s body was riddled with injuries when firefighters found her deceased on the alter of the church, Iglesia Apostoles y Profetas, in downtown San Jose.

New court documents contain statements that family members gave to police in the days and months after the girl’s death.

Claudia’s Statements To Police

Two of the first San Jose Police Department officers who arrived at the homicide scene were Officer Reyes and Officer Matthew Porcelli. When Reyes asked the mother what happened, she explained that Arely was screaming and crying the night before.

Claudia, 26, told the officer about why she believed her daughter was “possessed.” Claudia described how “Arely looked different. Her eyes were different. They looked empty and it ‘wasn’t her,'” Wise wrote. When the girl screamed, it did not sound like her voice, Claudia told police.

“What I believe is that she was possessed, you know, ’cause I go to church,” the mother told police.

When Claudia tried to force her fingers into her daughter’s mouth to induce vomiting, Arely bit her mother’s finger. After the girl calmed down, her mother and uncle took her to the church at 7 a.m. to perform a prayer ceremony.

Rene is the siblings’ father and the church’s pastor. The siblings called their father and he arrived at 12:20 p.m. to pray with them.

The trio of family members forcefully grabbed and held the girl to expel the demon. Arely tried to break free while her family held her in a “superman” position suspended above the floor, Wise wrote.

Claudia told police that even after her daughter said, “I love you,” she still believed the girl was possessed by an evil spirit or demon.

“After Arely threw up, Claudia said they put her on the floor. Claudia said this is when Arely stopped breathing. Claudia said God made her understand that Arely was not coming back and was gone,” Wise wrote.

Around 6 p.m., the girl’s body was cold and her lips were blue. “This was the last time Claudia believed Arely to be alive,” Wise wrote. Claudia told police that she waited two hours before she called 911 at 8:12 p.m.

When officers asked Claudia if she believed she caused her daughter’s death, she replied, “In a way,” Wise wrote. The mother told police that she does not use illicit drugs and she does not have a mental health diagnosis or treatment history.

Claudia Claims She Had Visions From God

Arely’s mother was not arrested until January 2022. She called SJPD Lt. Vallejo on October 14, 2021 because she wanted to make another statement to police. She sat down with Lt. Vallejo and told him that she spoke “daily” with God for three weeks before her daughter’s death. “During this time, Claudia was praying for Arely, and God told her that he was going to take Arely,” Wise wrote.

Religious beliefs at center of San Jose church exorcism death case

The mother told police that God told her Arely would die on September 24, 2021. “God told Claudia this was happening because she was never meant to be a mother,” Wise wrote. Claudia said she didn’t tell anyone about her conversations with God or her visions.

The lieutenant asked Claudia about how she felt about “God’s plan.” The mother replied, “I’ve learned to accept what it is.”

Aaron Claimed He Had Gifts From God

Aaron, 20, told police that he attends church four days a week and he has gifts from God. He also believed that Arely was possessed on the day she died. He explained to police that “Arely was not the same. She was normally always smiling,” Wise wrote.

Aaron talked about “multiple gifts he believes God has given him. These gifts include the ability to speak in tongues, the gift to heal, the gift to interpret tongues, the gift of seeing visions, and the gifts of reprimanding,” court documents state.

Aaron allegedly admitted to police that the prayer ceremony may have caused her death. “He said it was possible that the way he was holding her caused Arely to die. He said there were times when God would tell him to squeeze her harder. Arely’s death made him question his gift to heal,” Wise wrote.

Aaron told police that Claudia most likely delivered the fatal blow to Arely by grabbing her neck, court documents show.

Aaron told police that he stopped attending church after his niece died, but he later returned to church and became a preacher. Police arrested Aaron and his father on May 11, 2022.

Claudia Told Pastor That Arely Was ‘Not Normal’

Rene, 60, was also interviewed by police. He said when he arrived at the church to pray for Arely, and she was still alive, Claudia told Rene “the girl was going to die,” court documents state. Police asked Rene how Claudia could be so sure that her daughter was going to die at such a young age. “Rene Sr. shrugged his shoulders. Rene Sr. said he believed everything Claudia was saying to him,” Wise wrote.

Claudia also told Rene that Arely “was not a normal girl,” Wise wrote.

Inmates attack San Jose pastor accused of killing girl with church exorcism

In court documents, prosecutors told judge Chew that the preliminary hearing and defendants’ statements to police provide ample evidence that the family members should stand trial. Wise wrote, “There is no question from the testimony given at preliminary hearing that Claudia’s acts caused Arely’s death.”

A coroner determined Arely died from a combination of mechanical asphyxia and smothering. Her injuries included brain swelling, blood in the lungs, marks on the neck, and injuries inside the mouth, the coroner testified.

The victim’s mother, uncle, and grandfather are scheduled to return to court on May 10 when the judge will announce his ruling. The three defendants are being held in Santa Clara County jails without bail.

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