The Murder of Arley Proctor

On September 24, 2021, Claudia Elisa Hernandez ,25, had arranged for her brother and father to help her perform an exorcism on her 3-year-old daughter Arley Proctor. They would kill Arley during the 12 hours exorcism.

Background

On September 23, 2021, Claudia Hernandez thought her daughter Arely Doe was possessed. She would explain she believed this because from time to time, while Arley was sleeping, she would wake up and cry and/or scream.

The Murder

The next day, around 6:34 a.m., on September 24, 2021, Hernandez and her brother Rene Aaron Hernandez-Santos, 19, drove Arley to Iglesia Evangelica Apostoles y Profetas, a church ran out of a house at 1094 S 2nd St, San Jose, California. Still believing Arley to be possessed, Hernandez “held the victim around her waits and neck to help her throw up” believing this would release the spirit.

1094 S 2nd St, San Jose, California

At some point Arley’s grandfather, Rene Trigueros Hernandez, 59, came to help with the exorcism. According to news outlets, the grandfather was the pastor of the church. All three adults (Arley’s mother, uncle, and grandfather) were holding Arley down; one holding her neck; one around her abdomen; and one holding her legs. The adults would rotate around the child, trying to make her throw up. Arley would eventually throw up a “clear/purple” liquid. This lasted approximately 12 hours.

A medical examiner determined the cause of death to be asphyxiation and the manner of death homicide.

911 Call

According to court documents, Hernandez believed Arley died between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. She did not call the police until 8:12 p.m., after her family told her to. Police and medics responded and attempted life-saving techniques. Arley was pronounced dead at the scene. Arley had “multiple injuries around her eye, face, neck, and chest.”

The court document states that the family did not administer life-saving measures. It also notes that the last time Arley had eaten was on September 23, 2021 and only drank 6oz.

Video

A few days after Arley was killed during the exorcism, Hernandez made a 40 minute video talking about the death of her daughter. In the video, Claudia explained to viewers how “it is what it is” and “there is no point” in being sad about her daughter’s death.  

Arrest

Claudia Hernandez was arrested on January 31, 2022. She was charged with child abuse leading to death.

On May 11, 2022, Rene Aaron Hernandez-Santos and Rene Trigueros Hernandez were arrested and charged with child abuse, leading to death.

All three suspects are being held without bail and are awaiting court proceedings.

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