On September 2024 2021, a small Pentecostal church in San Jose became the scene of an alleged exorcism aimed at casting out the demon believed to be possessing three-year-old Arely Naomi Proctor. The child’s mother, Claudia Hernandez-Santos, her uncle, Rene Aaron Hernandez-Santos, and her grandfather, Rene Trigueros Hernandez, all took part in the exorcism and have been charged with the young girl’s death. All three were part of the Iglesia Apostoles y Profetas church and came to believe that Arely's nighttime crying and screaming were signs of demonic possession.
On the day of Arely's death, Hernandez-Santos reportedly received a vision from God, telling her that her daughter needed to die. This conviction led her to strangle and smother Arely over a grueling 12-hour period. No one in the church called for medical assistance, and the police were only notified hours after Arely had passed away.
The details that emerged from the investigation are harrowing. Arely's body showed multiple injuries around her eyes, face, neck, and chest. The Santa Clara County medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide caused by asphyxiation.
The police report on the case stated that "“Defendant still believed the victim to be possessed. Defendant stated she held the victim around her waist and neck to help her throw up, which she believed would help her get the spirit out. At times Defendant attempted to open the victim’s mouth with her hands. At some point, victim’s grandfather arrived at the church to assist them in prayer, After that, defendant, victim’s uncle and victim’s grandfather were all holding victim attempting to cause her to vomit. One individual was holding victim by the neck, while one held her around her abdomen, and the last held her around her legs.” They then spent several hours trying vomiting until Arely "vomited a clear/purple liquid."
Hernandez-Santos has since told investigators that she did not believe she was doing anything wrong and acted on the belief that she was following divine instructions. In a statement to her Youtube followers, she stated that : "I could sit here and be negative … be sad about the whole situation that she passed away. But it’s like, there is no point because it is what it is. It’s many reasons why God took her. What if something would have happened to her, what if she would have had a sickness? It is what it is. I gotta be positive about the situation. You know, like at least she’s not suffering." None of the other accused have shown any remorse for their actions, and a judge recently ruled that there was sufficient evidence for the trio to stand trial. If convicted, they face life sentences.
Hernandez-Santos has been held without bail for the past 30 months, with prosecutors emphasizing her significant flight risk. The family members, deeply entrenched in their religious beliefs, remain steadfast in their innocence, complicating the legal proceedings and raising questions about the role of religious extremism in modern society.