San Diego to shell out millions after everyone from heartless social workers to a police officer who aided in abuse of 11yo are exposed

WARNING: This has details of harm against a child.

A devastating lawsuit concerning the torture death of 11-year-old Arabella McCormack has reached a settlement, forcing the city and county of San Diego, along with other key institutions, to pay out a staggering $31.5 million. This massive settlement, announced on Friday, December 13, 2025, resolves the civil claims brought on behalf of Arabella’s two younger sisters, who were just six and seven years old at the time of the tragedy.

This is a truly heartbreaking situation, and the lawsuit really proves a complete systemic failure across multiple groups that should have protected the child. This systemic breakdown is just awful, and it means that many people who were supposed to report the abuse simply didn’t. It happens far too often, and it’s really hard to trust this system when kids are constantly put in danger.

Arabella died in August 2022 after San Diego sheriff’s deputies responded to a distress call at the McCormack family home on August 30, 2022. Authorities discovered Arabella severely malnourished and covered in bruises, per The Guardian. She was rushed to the hospital but sadly passed away.

This child’s death could have been prevented

The core of the lawsuit focused on the numerous opportunities various agencies had to intervene but allegedly failed to act. It claimed that county social workers did not properly investigate abuse claims that had surfaced. Even more concerning, the suit alleged that two teachers at the Pacific Coast Academy, the institution that oversaw Arabella’s home schooling, failed to report the girl’s deteriorating condition.

Perhaps one of the most shocking allegations involves a San Diego police officer who was reportedly a friend of Arabella’s adoptive mother. The lawsuit claimed this officer actually gave the family a wooden paddle that they could use to hit their children. McCormack ended up starving to death.

The $31.5 million total is broken down among the organizations named in the suit. Both the city of San Diego and San Diego County will pay $10 million each. The Pacific Coast Academy is contributing $8.5 million to the settlement, and the Rock Church, where Arabella’s adoptive mother was an ordained elder, is paying $3 million.

Attorney Craig McClellan, who represents the younger sisters, confirmed that the settlement amount is substantial enough to secure their financial futures. He said, “The amount is going to be enough to take care of the girls for the rest of the lives.” However, he stressed that the money cannot undo the damage, noting that it “isn’t going to be enough and never could be enough … to replace their sister, nor is it going to erase the memories of what they went through.”

While the civil suit is now resolved, the criminal case against the adoptive family is still moving forward. Arabella’s adoptive mother, Leticia McCormack, and her parents, Adella and Stanley Tom, are currently facing serious charges, including murder, conspiracy, child abuse, and torture. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges, and the criminal proceedings are ongoing.

The two younger sisters, who are now nine and 11, are currently living with a foster mother. Their attorney noted that they are healthy and “doing pretty well considering all things,” which is a small piece of positive news in this horrible situation. Hopefully, this settlement helps ensure they have the resources they need to move past this trauma.