Or was it a systemic one, the result of a department so ill-equipped to safeguard children that tragedies were bound to happen? She saw the anger swell inside him. Before calling 911, Pearl and her boyfriend, Isuaro Aguirre cleaned up their apartment. He tended to see hope where others saw a lost cause. She had abandoned her youngest child, a daughter named Destiny, and lost custody of a son named Arnold Jr., who was a year older than Gabriel. As a general rule, caseworkers worry most about children who arent seen by people outside the home. He then asked if it was normal for moms to hit kids with a belt buckle and make you bleed. Decider.com reported that a three-justice panel stated there was no probably cause connected to child abuse or falsifying documents in a 2-to-1 opinion.. May 21, 2022 . The many prior hotline calls gave them five points. Pearl ordered her 11-year-old daughter to help them clean blood off the floor. But we spoke again later that day. Oh, okay, Garcia said finally, not knowing how else to cut the tension. She said she had been assigned to investigate and told Garcia to call her directly if she noticed. White House Farm killer played badminton and drew models in prison. In 2016, they were each charged with one felony count of child abuse. About STEFANIE M GUERRERO . Money Services Business Registrations; Moter Carriers He felt brushed off, judged. But Judge Mary Lou Villar was not persuaded. Shed sometimes find him crying at the end of the day, saying he didnt want to go home. In DCFSs Palmdale office, people liked to joke: Its not the end of the world, but you can see it from here. High-ranking administrators from headquarters in Los Angeles rarely made the long drive through the hills and canyons up to this community on the edge of the Mojave Desert, where buzzards circle and dust storms penetrate homes with a layer of grit that no amount of vigilance can keep out. Why did you lie and tell me you fell?, When I tell you, and that lady comes, then I get hurt worse.. They would later become the second and third workers, after Merritt, to be charged with child abuse and falsification of records. Still, Mondays events nagged at Garcia. Aguirre received the death sentence. Other Payments such as Shift Pay, Allowances and Bonuses. The dismissal was long expected after an appellate panel ruled in January that the social workers should not face charges for failing to prevent the torture and killing of the Palmdale boy. On this week's Money Confidential, we help you determine where your money should go. In late April, Gabriel appeared in class looking worse than Garcia had ever seen him. View our online Press Pack. Caseworkers were told to focus on services versus surveillance and to label a parent as being in need of services/support rather than as a perpetrator. The caseworkers and their supervisors would be the decision makers on any interventionno judge would second-guess them, and no lawyers would be appointed to argue for the best interests of the children. Fernandez pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty and received a sentence of life in prison without parole. Your email address will not be published. An autopsy showed that Gabriel had a fractured skull, several broken ribs and burns over much of his body. Stefanie Rodriguez. Towards the end of January, when Gabriel came to class, there was no more laughing. More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro. Prosecutors say they failed to take the appropriate steps to protect Gabriel and then falsified documents related to his case. Yet time and again, they failed to intervene. He was 8 years old, and the signs of abuse were obvious. With Pearl again present, Gabriel said that the little bruises on his face had formed after he fell while playing tag with his brother and sister. I just dont want to remember it.. According to DCFSs internal investigation, neither Rodriguez nor Bom reviewed the information related to these calls. For Jennifer Garcia, the 201213 school year was off to a disappointing start. We were on a desert island, and we were just sinking, sinking, sinking., Like Merritt, Starr is a devout Christian. Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, Patricia Clement, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt were ordered today to stand trial on falsifying records and child abuse charges involving the death of Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old Palmdale boy who died in 2013 after prolonged child abuse. When he looked at Gabriel, he saw cigarette burns all over the boys head and neck. This button displays the currently selected search type. First Call Made Six Months Before Gabriel's Death In my opinion, no crime was committed and I did not commit a crime., The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is streaming on Netflix now. Unprecedented charges against L.A. County social workers were filed following the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. It was meant to be used for lower-risk cases, but a later review found that the department was taking chances on parents who would not have been eligible for family-preservation services had their cases reached the courts. He said his mother and her boyfriend would threaten him if he didnt join in their beatings. Garcia called Rodriguez again, pressing her about what she was doing to help Gabriel. Due to confidentiality rules, Rodriguez could say nothing. Sadly, Gabriel Fernandez was subjected to months of brutal torture at the hands of his mother Pearl and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre. Merritt, one of the. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. The department was using it on parents who werent eligible instead of only low risk cases as intended. Each week, O'Connell Rodriguez answers some super common and everyday questions about . Pearl was yelling at him to sit, and Martinez told her to tone it down. See full bio More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro Known For Phil the Alien Young Madame Madame 2004 Hide all | | Edit Filmography Hide Actress (1 credit) 2004 Phil the Alien Actress. The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services sent a statement on Thursday responding to the dismissal of charges, which said: We respect the court's decision. Social workers Stephanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement visited the Fernandez family home on multiple occasions but both workers claimed they never saw signs of abuse that would require. "There is, therefore, no probable cause to hold them on charges of violating those laws and the trial court should have granted the motions to dismiss," the opinion continued. In June 2018, Superior Court Judge George G. Lomeli sentenced Isauro Aguirre to death for the boy's first-degree murder and a special circumstance allegation of murder involving torture. Meet the model and actress, Jeremy Bamber: Killer serving life sentence on road with ironic name. This investigation was ongoing when Gabriel died. This time, the caseworker didnt pick up or call back. Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement, as well as their supervisors, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt, were each charged with one felony count of child abuse and one felony. Gabriels grandmother objected, telling deputies that Pearl neglected and abused her children. He told Le Norgant that he was serious. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge dismissed charges against social workers who were accused of child abuse and falsifying records related to the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. On walks, he lagged at the end of the line, saying that his arms and legs hurt. Former colleagues told me he now mows lawns. His skin was almost yellow, like hes been starving or something.. Stephanie joined the Alliance in 2015. According to the case file, Rodriguez met Gabriels family in their second-floor apartment, which looked out on the back of a row of dollar stores, two days after Garcias first call to the hotline. I still have nightmares. He was on life support until May 24th, 2013. Neither caseworker Kevin Bom nor case manager Stefanie Rodriguez felt the bruising was grounds for a doctors visit or Gabriels removal from the home. Stefanie has been found in 13 states including Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Arizona. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. She left a career in genetic res Merritt told me that despite Clements weaknesses, he had to rely on her to be his eyes and ears, so he signed off on her recommendation without reading the file. Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 34, and Patricia Clement, 69, were charged along with two supervisors, Kevin Bom, 40, and Gregory Merritt, 64, with one felony count each of child abuse and falsifying public records. The DCFS Internal investigation found that neither Rodriguez or her supervisor Bon reviewed information regarding Pearl and her history with the DCFS. The trials of Gabriel Fernandez also points to the failings of the Los Angeles Child Services and the four social works in charge of the Gabriel case. Little round bruises dotted his face. His older brother Ezequiel would try to sneak bananas through the padlocked door. All he knew was that Gabriel was old enough to be in school, which meant he had teachers who were required by law to report signs of abuse. The pendulum swung, and the United States saw a nearly 25 percent drop in the number of children in foster care from 2002 to 2012. His teacher testified that she called Rodriguez multiple times to report that Gabriel told her that his mother punched him and shot him in the face with a BB gun. He pressed, and she reluctantly went to ask a supervisors permission. They reportedly moved to Des Moines soon after their wedding. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Hed been living with his maternal grandparents, with whom he was close, but his mother, Pearl Fernandez, wanted Gabriels welfare benefits, so she brought him to live with her for the first time in his life, over his grandparents strenuous objections. Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement and supervisors Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt are charged with felony child abuse and falsifying public records in the 2013 beating and torture. Lomeli also presided over the trial of Fernandez killers, his mother and her boyfriend. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or . She was a ticking time bomb, Teresa Linn Stanley, a caseworker who once worked side by side with Clement, told me. MORE: Palmdale woman, boyfriend sentenced in 8-year-old's torture killing. Gabriel Fernandez: Is Pearl Fernandez still in prison? Palmdale consistently ranked last on the list of places agency employees wanted to be. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Merritt told me she was a little bit of a burnout case but good enough. Others remember her less favorably. Almost three years had passed since Gabriels death, and many people had all but forgotten that a criminal review was under way. The educator said the boy appeared anxious about his homework and feared to go home sometimes. Villar also stated that the defendants should have documented Gabriel Fernandezs injuries and that their actions were incompatible with the proper regard for human life.. That was a mistake, the school secretary, Pam Howell, told Evans. All Information about Stefanie Rodriguez Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. But this didnt strike Merritt as particularly unusual or alarminghe remembered a child even younger who had made actual suicide attempts. Charges against L.A. County social workers were filed following stefanie rodriguez social worker now death penalty and received sentence... Bananas through the padlocked door gave them five points prosecutors say they failed to intervene in you. 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