San Diego pays $31.5M in girl's death
San Diego city and county, Pacific Coast Academy, and Rock Church agreed Dec. 12 to a $31.5 million settlement in a lawsuit over the 2022 death of 11-year-old Arabella McCormack, who authorities say was severely malnourished and abused by her adoptive family. The suit alleged multiple failures to report and investigate abuse; the adoptive mother Leticia McCormack and her parents, Adella and Stanley Tom, face ongoing criminal charges and have pleaded not guilty.
đ Key Facts
- $31.5M total settlement: $10M from the City of San Diego, $10M from San Diego County, $8.5M from Pacific Coast Academy, $3M from Rock Church.
- Lawsuit alleged county social workers and two teachers failed to report abuse; a San Diego police officer allegedly provided a wooden paddle to the family.
- Arabella McCormack died after deputies found her severely malnourished on Aug. 30, 2022; her younger sisters (now 9 and 11) are in foster care.