Claudia Hernandez (pictured here), her brother Rene “Aaron” Hernandez Santos, and their father Rene Trigueros Hernandez, killed her daughter, Arely Naomi Proctor, authorities said. (Mug shot: San Jose Police Department)
A California judge will decide on May 10 whether there is enough evidence to try a woman, her brother, and their pastor father for allegedly killing her 3-year-old daughter in a so-called exorcism in which they forcefully held her and repeatedly tried to make her vomit.
Firefighters who found young Arely Naomi Proctor dead on the altar of Iglesia Apostoles y Profetas in San Jose on Sept. 24, 2021, discovered her with an array of injuries, according to court documents obtained by San Francisco CW affiliate KRON. Her mother allegedly talked to cops, claiming to have spoken to God for three weeks before Arely died.
“God told Claudia this was happening because she was never meant to be a mother,” the prosecution wrote.
The mother, her brother Rene “Aaron” Hernandez Santos, 20, and their father, Rene Trigueros Hernandez, 60, are charged with felony assault on a child younger than 8, causing death.
The uncle, Rene, allegedly acknowledged that the event killed Arely.
“He said it was possible that the way he was holding her caused Arely to die,” documents stated. “He said there were times when God would tell him to squeeze her harder. Arely’s death made him question his gift to heal.”
He suggested that Claudia most likely delivered the killing blow by grabbing the 3-year-old’s neck, documents stated.
The uncle, who became a preacher after the incident, allegedly claimed that God had given him gifts, including speaking in tongues and interpreting them, healing, seeing visions, and “the gifts of reprimanding.”
According to the prosecution, Arely tried to break free while the adults held her in a “superman” position above the floor at the church.
“I love you,” the daughter told her mother. But Claudia still believed her to be possessed, the state said.
“After Arely threw up, Claudia said they put her on the floor,” the prosecutor said. “Claudia said this is when Arely stopped breathing. Claudia said God made her understand that Arely was not coming back and was gone.”
Rene ‘Aaron’ Hernandez Santos and Rene Trigueros Hernandez, both pictured here,. joined with Claudia Hernandez in killing her daughter, Arely Naomi Proctor, authorities say. (Mug shots: San Jose Police Department)
Arely sustained brain swelling, blood in the lungs, marks on her neck, and injuries inside her mouth, authorities said.
Claudia Hernandez allegedly maintained to investigators that her daughter was truly possessed.
“What I believe is that she was possessed, you know, ’cause I go to church,” the mother allegedly said. The brother said he believed Arely to be possessed.
The grandfather allegedly told authorities he believed everything his daughter was saying to him.
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