(KRON) — A mother, uncle, and grandfather are charged with performing a torturous exorcism inside a San Jose church that killed 3-year-old Arely Naomi Proctor. The girl’s three accused killers appeared inside a courtroom for a preliminary hearing Tuesday and prosecutors outlined their case against the family.
Investigators said Arely died on Sept. 24, 2021, inside a small Pentecostal church, Iglesia Apostoles y Profetas, when her family attempted to cast an “evil demon” out of her.
On Tuesday, defense attorneys cross-examined San Jose Police Department Lt. J.J. Vallejo. Arely’s mother, 26-year-old Claudia Hernandez, listened to Vallejo’s testimony while she swiveled in her chair, rested her head on her palm, and periodically yawned.
Claudia Hernandez, her 20-year-old brother, Rene “Aaron” Hernandez Santos, and her father, church pastor Rene Trigueros Hernandez, are charged with felony child abuse resulting in death.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney merged their three cases into one. If convicted, they could face life in prison.
Vallejo testified that the family was inside the church all night performing a bizarre religious exorcism. A coroner determined that Arely was strangled, suffocated, and smothered to death. Prosecutors wrote, “evidence shows that the three … were praying, strangling, and pushing on the child’s 38-pound body to cause her to vomit up the evil spirit. There were many injuries to the child, and they were found all over her body.”
The only people who know exactly what happened to little Arely are the same people charged with killing her, defense attorneys said in court.
Claudia and Aaron’s defense attorneys told the judge that homicide detectives’ information hinges on their interviews and interrogations with the victim’s mother, uncle, and grandfather. “Obviously you were not present at the church during the prayer ritual, correct?” Aaron’s defense attorney asked Vallejo.
Vallejo testified that all three admitted to performing the exorcism. Aaron’s defense attorney said his client followed his older sister’s orders. Aaron was woken up by his sister inside their Mountain View apartment after midnight on Sept. 23, 2021. She told Aaron that they were going to take Arely to the church to cast a demon out, Aaron’s defense attorney said.
About 14 hours later, firefighters found Arely dead on the floor of the church at 1094 2nd Street.
After police took Aaron and Claudia to the San Jose police station and questioned them together, Aaron appeared emotionally upset while Claudia did most of the talking, Vallejo testified. The 60-year-old pastor was also questioned. All three took naps at the police station, Vallejo testified.
Over the course of several police interviews in 2021 and 2022, Aaron and his father changed their stories about how Arely died during the exorcism, and whether any efforts were made to revive her, court documents state.
Aaron’s defense attorney asked Vallejo, “(Aaron) never told you that he wanted to hurt Arely? He certainly never told you that he wanted to kill Arely?” Vallejo answered, “Correct.”
The defense attorney added, “He wanted to help Arely feel better.”
Several months went by before police arrested anyone in connection to the girl’s death. Vallejo testified that the mother invited him to attend Arely’s funeral. He declined the invitation.
Before the mother was arrested in 2022, she uploaded multiple YouTube videos of herself talking about her daughter’s death. “God took her,” Claudia says in one video dated January 2022. “It’s many reasons why God took her. At least she’s not suffering. That’s what I’m thankful for … that she’s not going to grow up in a world we live in. She’s in a better place. God knows why he allowed these things.”
In the video, Claudia said she grew, matured, and learned a lot. “It is what it is. I’m thankful … God is good.” she said.
The preliminary hearing is scheduled to continue through next week. Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise told Judge Hanley Chew that she will play video tapes in court of police interrogations with Claudia, Aaron, and the pastor.
The hearing will resume at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice.
