California Toddler Dies in Exorcism Ritual Done by Her Family at San Jose Church

New details regarding the death of a three-year-old child in California last fall emerged this week, revealing that she died after an exorcism ritual.

According to court documents, Arely Hernandez died inside a small church in San Jose last September after being tortured and killed by her family, who were performing an exorcism ritual casting out a demon, Kron 4 reported.

Information about the homicide was never made public by the San Jose Police Department nor the District Attorney's Office. The court documents obtained by the outlet Wednesday detailed what investigators believe happened to the girl.

The child's 25-year-old mother, Claudia Elisa Hernandez of Mountain View, was charged with felony assault on a child with force likely to produce great bodily injury last February. The El Salvador-born mom is currently behind bars with no bail.

El Salvador-Born Mom in California Believes Her Child Was Possessed by Demon

In the court documents, Deputy district attorney Rebekah Wise wrote that the child's family believed that the toddler was possessed by a demon.

Hernandez told police that she started to believe that her daughter was "possessed" on September 23 because she would often wake up in the middle of the night crying or screaming.

The following day, the girl's mom, grandfather, and uncle drove her to the church at 1094 2nd Street in San Jose, where they allegedly participated in the exorcism ritual, People reported.

The child's grandfather was reportedly the church leader and claimed he was a certified pastor. The family allegedly conducted the exorcism ritual so that the "demon" inside the girl's body would leave.

Reports claimed that Hernandez, the girl's grandfather, and the uncle held the California child down by her neck, legs, and torso for several hours. The trio also tried to make her vomit by sticking their fingers and hands down the child's throat.

"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," Wise wrote of the El Salvador-born mom, as KRON reported.

The California child reportedly died at around 6:30 p.m. after 12 hours of torture. Arely suffered "multiple injuries" around her eyes, face, neck, and chest.

New York Post reported that the family did not call 911 until 8:12 p.m. or nearly two hours after they thought the California child had died.

A coroner reportedly concluded that the girl's death was a homicide caused by suffocation and smothering. Despite the involvement of the child's uncle and grandfather, the two were not arrested and have not been charged.

El Salvador-Born Mom Smiles on a Video After Her Child Died In Exorcism Ritual

Six days before the California child's mom was charged, she appeared smiling in a video she uploaded on YouTube. In the 45-minute video, Hernandez said she accepted what happened because "it is what it is."

"I could sit here and be negative. But there's no point in me doing that. I cannot change what is. It is what it is," she noted.

Hernandez also reflected on her child's death after the exorcism ritual. She said: "It's many reasons why God took her. At least she's not suffering. In this world we suffer so much, especially nowadays. Everything is so bad. Everything is going downhill. That's what I'm thankful for... she's not going to grow up in a world we live in."

She added that God knows the truth and that the truth will always come out. Hernandez's next court date is on June 13. If convicted, she faces 25 years to life in prison.

This article is owned by Latin Post,

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Investigators Say 3-Year-Old Girl Died Inside SJ Church After Exorcism-Like Ritual - From NBC Bay Area