Case that shook California.. Millions settled after girl's death from starvation

   US Court

Case that shook California.. Millions settled after girl's death from starvation

A lawsuit concerning the death of an 11-year-old girl in California, who allegedly suffered torture and starvation at the hands of her adoptive family, reached a settlement totaling $31.5 million on Friday with the city and county of San Diego, as well as other groups.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of two younger sisters of Arabella McCormack, who died in August 2022. The girls were six and seven years old at the time. Their adoptive mother, Letitia McCormack, and her biological parents, Adela and Stanley Tom, faced charges of murder, conspiracy, child abuse, and torture.

They pleaded not guilty to all charges, and their criminal case is ongoing. The lawsuit alleged systemic failures across the city and among numerous agencies and organizations to report the abuse of Arabella McCormack.

Craig McClellan, the sisters' lawyer, said 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 Rockchurch, the school that had been homeschooling Arabella McCormack. 

McClellan said, "The money will be enough to care for the girls for the rest of their lives, but it will never be enough to replace their sister, and it will never erase the memories of what they went through."