Rene Trigueros Hernandez, Rene Hernandez-Santos (bottom left), and Claudia Hernandez-Santos (right).
Prosecutors want to keep a California mother and two relatives behind bars ahead of trial for allegedly torturing her 3-year-old daughter to death. Deputy District Attorney Rebekah Wise says they have not shown remorse, according to a filing obtained by CW San Francisco affiliate KRON. In particular, the state says the mother, Claudia Hernandez, 26, would be a danger to the public — especially kids — if released.
The defendant had allegedly claimed to truly believe the victim, Arely Naomi Proctor, 3, was possessed by a demon. Authorities said she even purchased a funeral dress for the child before the killing.
Hernandez allegedly claimed to have previously received a vision from God that God was “going to Arely.” He also allegedly said that two weeks before the girl’s death, she had a vision of dropping the child off at the gates of Heaven.
“Claudia said she thought, ‘Okay, baby. You have to go,”” documents reportedly said.
“She has shown no remorse for the violent assault she committed against Arely, and she does not believe that what she did was wrong,” Wise reportedly wrote.
As the state has done in prior filings, Wise again emphasized the brutal and protracted nature of Proctor’s death.
“During this assault, Arely Doe fought for her life as the three defendants, all trusted adults, forcibly grabbed her neck, torso, back, and legs, smothered her,” Wise reportedly wrote.
Prosecutors say the attack happened over about 20 hours, ending at Iglesia Apostoles y Profetas, then run by Hernandez’s father and co-defendant, Rene Trigueros Hernandez, 60.
Hernandez’s brother, Rene “Aaron” Hernandez Santos, 20, is also accused of participating.
“Around 7:00 p.m., Defendant 2 [the uncle] knelt down beside the victim who was lying on the floor, and he placed one hand on the victim’s chest and one hand on her back,” a statement of facts says. “He applied pressure to the victim and maintained pressure for approximately 10 minutes. He stated the victim was alive at the beginning of this and he closed his eyes to pray. Upon opening his eyes, he believed the victim had died. They continued to pray and did not perform any lifesaving measures for the victim.”
All three adults are charged with felony child abuse causing death.
More Law&Crime coverage: Man who allegedly drowned father to exorcise ‘demons’ has been indicted for murder
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