San Diego Settlements Reach $31.5m for Tortured Girl's Siblings
A devastating lawsuit brought on behalf of the younger sisters of Arabella McCormack, an 11-year-old California girl who died in 2022 after allegedly being tortured and starved by her adoptive family, has reached a staggering settlement of $31.5 million.
The suit alleged a systemic failure across the city and several agencies and organizations to report Arabella's abuse, which ultimately led to her tragic death. The settlement includes $10m from the city of San Diego, $10m from San Diego county, $8.5m from the Pacific Coast Academy where Arabella was homeschooled, and $3m from the Rock church, a place of worship that holds significant ties to the girl's adoptive mother.
Arabella's younger sisters, aged nine and 11 at the time, are now living with a foster mother after being subjected to years of emotional and physical abuse. The settlement is seen as a step towards providing for their well-being, but not erasing the traumatic memories they hold. According to Craig McClellan, Arabella's attorney, "the amount is going to be enough to take care of the girls for the rest of their lives", though he also acknowledged that it will never fully compensate for the loss of their sister.
The lawsuit has revealed a disturbing pattern of neglect and failure by those in positions of authority. It states that county social workers failed to properly investigate abuse claims, two teachers at the Pacific Coast Academy failed to report Arabella's condition, and a San Diego police officer gave the family a wooden paddle for use on their children.
When the girls were found severely malnourished with bruises by sheriff's deputies in August 2022, it was too late. Arabella died shortly after. Her sisters, now in foster care, are reported to be "doing pretty well considering all things", according to McClellan.
A devastating lawsuit brought on behalf of the younger sisters of Arabella McCormack, an 11-year-old California girl who died in 2022 after allegedly being tortured and starved by her adoptive family, has reached a staggering settlement of $31.5 million.
The suit alleged a systemic failure across the city and several agencies and organizations to report Arabella's abuse, which ultimately led to her tragic death. The settlement includes $10m from the city of San Diego, $10m from San Diego county, $8.5m from the Pacific Coast Academy where Arabella was homeschooled, and $3m from the Rock church, a place of worship that holds significant ties to the girl's adoptive mother.
Arabella's younger sisters, aged nine and 11 at the time, are now living with a foster mother after being subjected to years of emotional and physical abuse. The settlement is seen as a step towards providing for their well-being, but not erasing the traumatic memories they hold. According to Craig McClellan, Arabella's attorney, "the amount is going to be enough to take care of the girls for the rest of their lives", though he also acknowledged that it will never fully compensate for the loss of their sister.
The lawsuit has revealed a disturbing pattern of neglect and failure by those in positions of authority. It states that county social workers failed to properly investigate abuse claims, two teachers at the Pacific Coast Academy failed to report Arabella's condition, and a San Diego police officer gave the family a wooden paddle for use on their children.
When the girls were found severely malnourished with bruises by sheriff's deputies in August 2022, it was too late. Arabella died shortly after. Her sisters, now in foster care, are reported to be "doing pretty well considering all things", according to McClellan.
. I mean, I'm glad the settlement will provide for them financially and stuff, but how do you even deal with emotional scars? Its like paying for a house that's already been destroyed by fire 
. And what about the people who failed to report the abuse in the first place? They should be held accountable too 
. But I guess its better late than never, right? At least the girls are safe now and getting the care they need 
. Still, this settlement is just a Band-Aid on a huge wound...
$31.5m for those poor lil sis's...its like they deserve so much more 4 what happnd 2 them its not just about the money tho, its about ppl in positions of authority bein willfully blind 2 abuse & neglecting their duties 2 protect kids u feel me? those teachers @ Pacific Coast Academy shudve spoken up!!! & whats w/ that cop givin them a paddle 4 their kids?!?! thats just sick 
anyway, lets just hope its gonna help those lil sis's heal & move forward in life
. I mean, $31.5m might as well be a few crumbs for two girls who've been through hell. It's just a number, you know? 
They'll need more than that to recover from what they went through. And don't even get me started on the fact that some of the money is going to a church that's basically involved in this whole mess. It's like closing the door on the past and hoping everything works out magically 
. I wish we could've done something more, like actually held those people accountable 
. But, you know, at least it's a start, right? Maybe it'll be enough to help them get back on their feet, but it's still not enough for me 
.
$31.5M Settlement 
every week for a year 
Did they have no idea what was going on? 
. $31.5 million is a huge sum and I hope it'll cover their medical expenses, education, and other needs for years to come 
The fact that the sisters are now doing 'pretty well considering all things' in foster care is a good sign, but it's never enough to erase the trauma they experienced 