Charges filed against four former Los Angeles County social workers brought a measure of relief Thursday to a relative and friend of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, whose torture and death led to an overhaul of the county Department of Children and Family Services.
“It’s been three long years,” Gabriel’s cousin, Emily Carranza, said. “May 24th will be the third anniversary of Gabriel’s death. And I want these four social workers to be an example to all other social workers out there that are not taking their job seriously, saving the children and doing their job, that if they continue to neglect their work, that they also will be prosecuted as well.
“They took an oath to save the children, to protect them from their abusers and it’s time for them to step up and start doing this,” she said.
Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 30, and Patricia Clement, 65, and supervisors Kevin Bom, 36, and Gregory Merritt, 60, were each charged March 28 with felony child abuse and falsifying public records, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The charges stem from Gabriel’s May 24, 2013, death.
According to police and prosecutors, Gabriel was a long-time abuse victim. When he died, he had a fractured skull, broken ribs and burns over his body, prosecutors said.
The boy’s mother, Pearl Fernandez, and then-boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, are facing a capital murder charge stemming from Gabriel’s death.
The case sparked a firestorm of criticism of the county Department of Children and Family Services over reports that the boy and his mother were repeatedly visited by social workers in response to abuse allegations, but the boy was never removed from the home.
Carranza is a co-founder of a group called Gabriel’s Justice that was created to call for changes in the social work and child welfare systems in light of the boy’s death.
“This is what Gabriel’s Justice is about. We’re fighting to save children and to fight against child abuse,” she said.
Amanda Nevarez, a family friend and co-founder of Gabriel’s Justice, said the social workers handling the case felt “they were above the law somehow and untouchable.” “You’re not above the law,” she said. “Just because you’re a county worker, just because you’re in a union doesn’t mean you can deliberately not do your job and cause harm, especially the kind of harm that was caused to Gabriel.”
Related stories:
Four social workers charged in Palmdale boy’s death
County supervisor blasts judge’s ruling on fired DCFS worker
DA to seek death penalty against Palmdale couple in Gabriel’s beating death
L.A. County trying to block return of social worker in Palmdale child abuse death
Accused child killers plead not guilty
Four social workers fired in death of Gabriel
Couple charged with capital murder in death of Palmdale boy
Justice for Gabriel protest, teacher speaks out
Palmdale boy dies after abuse, mother and boyfriend arrested
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Guess Who? says
Tiffany, DCFS you continue to justify their actions. They falsified reports on thoses DEMONS that killed Gabriel. They turned a blind eye. Do some research on this. There is hope for you. Take Care and God help you:-)
a parent says
Documents were not falsified. System is broken. Read the CBS report online. Worker had to come in and write a quick report due to being overworked. Worker then went a month later and added to the original report I am assuming when they had time. Hence, the addition is the changing documents. This case will be plead down just like the case in NY involving social workers and a death of a child.. We can all make judgements based on media reports. Bottomline is DCFS failed, police failed, school failed, his parents failed and his entire family failed. SYSTEM needs to change not just DCFS.
A real Parent says
The school did not fail, the teacher reported all suspicions more than once! Don’t say that the school didn’t do what they were supposed to do! They took their mandated reporter duties seriously, get your facts strait!
a true parent says
I am sorry, “a real parent” a real teacher who witnessed a child abused over a long period of time should have done more than merely called the child abuse hotline. The school just what was required by the law, being mandarin reporters. MORALLY, they should have demanded more. Also, when the school sent his excessive absences to the sherif to investigate the matter just a couple of weeks prior to Gabriel’s death, the sheriff was told by his mother h e was sent to Texas when the school knew this was false. So yes the school failed. And to quote you, know the facts not just what the mob mentality states.
a parent says
To correct my typos, the school just did what was required of them by law being mandated reporters.
Fosterparent says
So punish the little man, to make the politicians look good; someone should indeed pay for what’s happened to this innocent child, but what about the sheriff’s officers that were repeatedly called out to the home, or the teachers and school officials. Los Angeles County DFCS is understaffed, underpaid and over worked, with Los Angeles County having the largest amount of children in the foster the system in the country. Things like this become the consequences of a county more focused on the political agenda over the homeless, children and families struggling; if they really wanted help this situation. It would not be spending tax payer’s money to charge this people in open court which cost thousands of dollars a defendant. When they could be budgeting more money to hire more social workers, more teachers, build community non-profits to assistance the community.
I myself being a foster parent I understand the system, the system is not created to remove children from their homes permanently; it’s a temporary placement while the parents are evaluated and put through a series activities to prove to the court that the child will be safe returning to that home. And the judge makes that decision not the social workers.
This being said the problem is not these four social workers, who not only careers have been ruined but now there is threat of their freedom. Is stems from the Top down, punishing the little people at the bottom will not keep this from happening again.
SMDH....... says
Yes and the grandfather was the first to be there at all the fundraising to make sure he collected all the money that was raised. Where is he now? No more money involved that’s why he isn’t around…smh. Like I said it before this is a sad case to where all the family knew of the abuse and if they saw nothing was being done, why didn’t they speak up they should of gone to the Sheriff’s even if they were gonna be ignored pushed harder to have been heard! This poor little Angel suffered because of the system we live in and family who now all of sudden after the fact is involved.
Bob says
former second-in-command of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, A former assistant superintendent at the Palmdale School District, and four former Los Angeles County social workers, all have totally failed as public service officials.
Jail time for all!
Gladys says
drop in the bucket.
a parent says
I understand the backlash that 5he social workers are receiving but also what about some backlash towards the extended family members? Where was the caring family at during the times 5he child was being abused?
Guess Who? says
Gabriel was staying with his grandfather, but DCFS sent him back to his abusers:(
Tiffany says
They don’t just send kids back. The parent(s) petitioned to get him back and jumped through all the hoops. Did systems fail? Yes. But who is ultimately responsibl? Do you let the government in your house to make the rules? But when everything goes wrong, we look for someone to blame. Families are responsible for their own families. Who are we raising? Why don’t parents take responsibility for what they are putting into this world? Shame on Gabriel’s family for being scared of Pearl and not willing to take a case for him.
Guess Who? says
Tiffany and SMDH, Either you work for DCFS or you know these DCFS employees that sent Gabriel back to his abusers.
Tiffany says
Or I’m a person who doesn’t believe in entitlements and looks to county or government agencies to settle my family affairs. Maybe I’m a person who would’ve assaulted my daughter for my grandchild. Maybe I’m a person who would’ve assaulted ANY member of my family for an innocent, severely abused child, caught a kidnapping case if necessary, to protect him. I’m probably not someone who was more involved in that child’s life for more than 1 hour per month who would’ve done something. I am, however, in the business of helping families…everyday. What business are you in and how many families do you help daily?
Gladys says
Everyone around that child was making reports. These people ignored the reports and left him in that Hell-0.
Tiffany says
The police were called multiple times and didn’t even write a report. The family produced fake doctor’s notes. Statements were recanted. How much jurisdiction does a government agency have? Would you let a social worker come in and take your child’s clothes off even though there were statements that didn’t require you to, to check for physical injuries? Truth? You would allow a stranger from DCFS to unclothe your child even though he said his injuries were consistent with accidents? An investigator can have intuition, but are bound by certain laws. I wish I lived in a glass house; how nice your view must be.
Gladys says
Tiffany, Would I let them? If I had lost custody of my child and there were reports of abuse being made by teachers, neighbors and family members, I shouldn’t have a choice as to if I would let them examine him. She hated Gabriel and beat him to death along with her boyfriend. Little Gabriel had been failed so many times, he didn’t have anyone to trust. Put yourself in Gabriel’s shoes and feel what he felt as they abused, tortured, humiliated and beat him to death.
Doc Rivers says
V. Jesse Smith who fought to get these pitiful excuses for civil servants jobs reinstated with back pay is a candidate for the upcoming Palmdale elections. My job is to make sure he personally gets credit for the sad state of individuals that he and his kind protect. Gabriel will be campaigning against you V.Jesse Smith.
Top dog says
Then why isn’t everyone who made a report being charged? they are just as culpable to me as anyone else who did nothing while knowing what was going on. This is political backlash by those looking to blame someone else for their own shortcomings.