Medical examiner rules 8-year-old San Jose girl’s death a homicide, cites medical neglect

The finding does not determine who was responsible or whether anyone committed a crime. “Medical neglect was determined to be a significant condition in Aurora’s death because of the failure to provide the necessary medical care to her on the day she became unresponsive on May 13, 2026,” Medical Examiner Dr. Michelle Jorden said in a statement Wednesday. Because of that neglect, she said, the manner of death is deemed a homicide. Aurora died after an asthma attack — her brain was deprived of oxygen — while fighting a viral infection that had cold and flu-like symptoms, Jorden said. San Jose police acknowledged the homicide conclusion but would not say whether investigators have identified a suspect, made an arrest or shifted the case into a homicide investigation. “We are aware of the Medical Examiner’s report and the investigation is ongoing,” the police department said in a statement to this news organization.

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