During "psychic readings," the suspect, Jackeline Lopez, of Palmdale, allegedly told the girl "horrible things" would happen to her unless she stole the jewelry from her parents.
"Over a period of a month following the reading, suspect Lopez encouraged the victim to bring her jewelry from the victim’s home to be used in removing the curse from the victim and their family," the Sheriff's Department said in a statement released Friday morning. "Routinely Lopez would orchestrate a ritual in which the victim would place the stolen jewelry in the caldron and attempt to remove the curse. Each time, however, Lopez would tell the victim that what they had brought was not enough to remove the horrible curse and she needed more. This continued until the victim’s parents noticed the missing jewelry and confronted the victim on its whereabouts."
The psychic sessions occurred in Lopez's garage, which was decorated with candles, chalk outlines, black cauldrons and human skull replicas, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Thursday.
Lopez was arrested on suspicion of extortion, and authorities are seeking possible additional victims. Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at (661) 272-2477. Anonymous tips can be left at (800) 222-8477.
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-- Andrew Blankstein (twitter.com/anblanx) and Robert J. Lopez (twitter.com/LAJourno)
Photo: Garage where authorities say psychic readings were held. Credit: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
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