Photo: Elisaa Santos/Youtube
The little girl’s mother, Claudia Elisa Hernandez, 25, reportedly told police that she grew concerned on Sept. 23, 2021, that her daughter was “possessed” because she would often wake up in the middle of the night crying or screaming, the station reports.
They also stuck their fingers and hands down her throat, in an attempt to make her vomit, the outlet reports.
The girl died after the 12-hour-long exorcism, during which she suffered “multiple injuries around her eyes, face, neck and chest,” according to KRON.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
“She [Hernandez] strangled her multiple times to the point where the victim went unconscious, she stuck her hands down her throat, and continued this course of conduct for almost a full day,” the prosecutor wrote.
Hernandez was the only person involved in the alleged homicide who was arrested in February, following a bizarre 40-minute long YouTube video in which she reflected on her daughter’s life and death.
“I would always tell her that I loved her and make sure to show her so much love,” Hernandez said.
“It’s so hard now because I went from having her every day to not having her at all,” she added.
“To think that I’m not gonna see her grow up like how I thought I was gonna see her grow up … but you know, it’s okay because I know she’s in a better place. God knows why he allows these things,” said Hernandez.
“I could sit here and be negative about the things and be like, ‘I wish I could go back and this and that,’ but it’s like, there is no point in me doing that because I cannot change what is.” She added, “It is what it is.”
“I’ve learned to think positive. It’s many reasons why God took her,” Hernandez said.
Citing court documents, the station reports the prosecution urged the judge to deny Hernandez bail.
“She was born in El Salvador, has minimal ties to the community, and is considered a high flight risk,” Wise wrote.
According to court records, Hernandez has been appointed a public defender. She remains in jail, where she faces charges of felony assault on a child with force likely to produce great bodily injury. Her next court date is June 13.
source: people.com
