Monday marked the beginning of the preliminary hearing in the case involving the death of a young girl in San Jose, which police have described as a ritual resembling an exorcism that occurred in 2021. The victim, only identified as Arely Doe, died inside a backyard church operated by her family.

During the hearing, one of the lead investigators testified about his interviews with the three defendants. He stated that the girl’s mother, Claudia Hernandez, told him that “God had taken her Child” because Arely was believed to be possessed by a demon. Hernandez also allegedly reassured the girl’s uncle that “everything was going to be OK” and “we won’t be found guilty for what we did,” indicating that she admitted to killing her daughter but claimed it was unintentional.

The investigator further described how the girl’s grandfather held her tightly across his chest for two hours, claiming that the 3-year-old was behaving similarly to the possessed girl in the movie “The Exorcist.” However, the grandfather denied that they were conducting an exorcism, despite their attempts to rid her of the perceived possession, and none of the defendants attempted any life-saving measures.

Defense lawyers objected to certain lines of questioning during the hearing, but they will have the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses. The defendants’ family was present in court but declined to comment.

Attorneys involved in the case stated that they cannot discuss the details until the proceedings are over. However, lawyer Steven Clark, who is not involved in this case, explained the significance of the preliminary hearing, stating that the prosecution needs to demonstrate the actions of each defendant relative to the child’s death to move the case to trial.

The preliminary hearing is expected to continue until the following Tuesday, after which the judge will determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.