Almost three years had passed since Gabriels death, and many people had all but forgotten that a criminal review was under way. On March 28, an arrest warrant was issued for Stefanie Rodriquez, Patricia Clement, Kevin Bom, and Gregory Merritt. The psychologist replied that there were no services available and provided a brochure that Garcia could send to Gabriels mother on how to cope with behavioral problems. January 7, 2020 / 5:43 AM If they were to be found guilty, they faced up to 10 years in prison each. charged with child abuse and falsifying public records, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, was sentenced to life in prison, while her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was sentenced to death. He occasionally took books off the shelf, copied sentences in his own hand, and took them to Garcia. We processed them for discharge, he said. In the end, it all added up to very high risk, meaning that the caseworkers had no choice but to promote the case for further attention. Pearl was yelling at Gabriel, who had cigarette burns on his head and neck and marks on his wrists from being tied up. The girl later said that her mother asked her to help soak up blood from the floor. 3. The call, which was recorded, felt awkward and intimidating: Garcia was still relatively new to teaching and wasnt sure whether this was the kind of thing she was supposed to reportshe didnt know Gabriels family and wondered whether she might be missing important context. It had expanded because of the funding changes instituted during the Bush administration. The four had been held to answer charges of felony abuse in a preliminary hearing, but in the appeal their attorneys argued that there was insufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Jennifer Garcia began calling social workers in 2012. Their case marks one of the few times social worked have been charged in a child abuse case in the US. This button displays the currently selected search type. You do it like this, he said, holding his nostril as if he were snorting a line. Since then, the number of children removed from their home in any given year has risen or fallen according to pendulum swings in child-protective-services agencies, which have alternated between erring on the side of child safety and erring on the side of family preservation. Indeed, this summer a 10-year-old boy named Anthony Avalos was found unresponsive in his mothers apartment in Lancaster, California, just north of Palmdale. They recommended the death penalty. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. The DCFS Internal investigation found that neither Rodriguez or her supervisor Bon reviewed information regarding Pearl and her history with the DCFS. Stefanie Rodriguez's lawyer states that there were three subsequent supervisors, two subsequent social workers, one subsequent emergency response worker, two other mental health professionals, and two law enforcement officers all of whom are mandatory reporters as well. Stephanie Rodriguez. They claimed to have never found strong enough signs of abuse in order to remove Gabriel from the house. Hed whisper in Gabriels ear to fall to the ground quickly when he hit him. Yet, despite the obvious and visible signs of abuse, documentation by both Rodriguez and Clement downplayed the injuries. RELATED: Prosecutor in Gabriel Fernandez case was a victim of child abuse himself. The question today is whether the felony counts against four social workers will be dismissed, reduced or stand. Youll be able to move out. The two of them paused for a moment, imagining what that might be like. Gabriel Fernandez: What happened to Gabriel Fernandezs parents? Speaking to The Atlantic, Rodriguez explained that during the time she supervised Gabriels welfare, other children in her caseload seemed to her to be in equal or greater danger.. He walked into class with his head down. Gabriels grandmother told two sheriffs deputies that Pearl had a history of neglecting and abusing her children, but they didnt believe her. But five years on, he believes he has the distance to see that he performed as well as anyone could have, under the circumstances. Whoops! LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) A California appeals court has thrown out criminal charges against four social workers in the torture and murder of 8-year-old Palmdale boy Gabriel Fernandez. he next day, the principal at Summerwind called Garcia into his office to tell her that Gabriel was dead. (This policy was changed in 2011, allowing social workers to use their professional judgment to determine how many witnesses were necessary.). This decision came from a three-justice panel. In 2016, they were each charged with one felony count of child abuse. Gabriel has a black eye, there were lumps on the back of his head, and his skin was almost yellow. The fact that Gabriels suffering went unaddressed by the people charged with protecting him was a staggering failure of the Department of Children and Family Services. More info. If you spent time with Pat, you just knew.. She didnt want to tell him everything would be okaythat felt like it might not be true. 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Once, when another student was struggling with a reading assignment, Gabriel jumped in to help her, pushing her to take another look and keeping her well after the other kids finished. Stefanie A Rodriguez is an employee working in Children & Family Services. Neither caseworker Kevin Bom nor case manager Stefanie Rodriguez felt the bruising was grounds for a doctors visit or Gabriels removal from the home. Arturo Martinez, the security guard, asked to transfer to another office because he could not continue to work with the same people who had refused to help Gabriel. As long as human beings are involved in the child welfare program there are possibilities for mistakes to occur, he wrote. They rushed him to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, where he was on life support for two days. Reid took detailed notes, and Garcia soon received a phone call from Stefanie Rodriguez. The defense lawyers presented a long list of others who could have helped Gabriel, toopolice officers, school staff members, and people in the community. Since Gabriels death and the subsequent review, DCFS has hired more than 1,000 caseworkers, provided staff with smartphones, started new methods of training, and changed the standards for the Voluntary Family Maintenance program. Finances Cost per Session: $80 - $150 . The caseworker I shadowed was one of the new arrivals; she held the same job Stefanie Rodriguez had once had. Due to confidentiality rules, Rodriguez could say nothing. Garcia says her interactions with Rodriguez began shortlyafter she suspected Gabriels mother was physically retaliating against him for his in-school misbehavior. Despite their risk level being very high, Merritt manually changed the level to moderate and closed the case. Pearl sat quickly, fidgeting and rubbing her nose. To fill it, the department required new recruits to start thereincluding Stefanie Rodriguez, who sat in a cubicle within earshot of Merritt. A motion to rehear the appeals court decision was denied in January 2020 and the criminal case against these four is not progressing further. This fall, Merritt and three of his colleagues will stand trial for criminal charges of falsifying records and child abuse, which carry up to 11 years in prison. Partner with a local real estate agent to find the home or apartment that's right for you Stefanie Rodriguez, Real Estate Agent - Compass Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez: A 2019 survey found that 60% of Americans have helped out a friend or family member by lending them money with the expectation of being paid back. I learned early on that if Im gonna be any good to my clients, I have to take care of myself, Merritt said. Arturo Martinez, a security guard at the welfare office had also noticed Gabriels injuries and also tried to report his concerns. MyNewsLA.com wont sell your information and you can unsubscribe at any time. A public employee's salary relates to a particular person, but it is a matter of public interest and not primarily a matter of the individual's private business. Prosecutors argued the four minimised evidence of abuse and violated multiple policies. He told me he winced whenever he read in child-death cases that his employees had interviewed a child with the alleged perpetrator nearby, or had halted their inquiry when a child recanted a claim of abuse. Find 181 people named Stefanie Rodriguez along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. Stefanie Rodriguez, 35; Patricia Clement, 69; and their respective supervisors, Kevin Bom, 41; and Gregory Merritt, 64, were charged in 2016 with one felony count each of child abuse and. Click the link in the email we sent to to verify your email address and activate your job alert. Gabriel was absent the next day, and when he returned on Wednesday his hair was styled into a mohawk, which seemed normal enough. It destroyed my life.. 2017 toyota corolla wheel torque specs stefanie rodriguez social worker now Stefanie Rodriguez, 34; Patricia Clement, 69; Kevin Bom, 40; and Gregory Merritt, 64, were charged with child abuse and falsifying public records. When Fernandez called 911 on May 22, 2013 to report her son was not breathing, she told sheriff's deputies who responded that Gabriel had fallen and hit his head on a dresser. In just a few days, she would be teaching first grade in Room 5 at Summerwind Elementary, four miles away. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. Rodriguez, Clement, as well as two of their supervisors, Bom and Merritt were charged with one felony count of child abuse and falsifying public records in April 2016. In California, the downturn in foster care began even before Logans death, and was steeper than the national one. Her caseload included up to 40 children at a time. MORE: Palmdale woman, boyfriend sentenced in 8-year-old's torture killing. I just dont want to remember it.. Each employee's information disclosed include the full name, department, position title, annual earnings and benefits, etc. Martinez approached the window where Pearl had been talking with a clerk, Maricela Corona, to ask whether she was going to report Pearl to the authorities. She said she had been assigned to investigate and told Garcia to call her directly if she noticed anything suspicious in the future. During the final eight months of Gabriel Fernandezs life, numerous concerns had been made to the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services [DCFS]. On February 27th, 2013 therapist Carmen Le Norgant discussed with Pearl suicide notes Gabriel had written. The program is rudimentary and has been criticized for miscalculating risk, but an internal study showed that it is significantly more reliable than caseworkers own determinations. . Gabriel told her he had fallen off his bike and begged her not to send him home early. That would be reportable. She also told Reid that during Red Ribbon Week, when teachers talked about staying away from narcotics, Gabriel had announced that cocaine was a drug. An autopsy showed that Gabriel had a fractured skull, several broken ribs and burns over much of his body. When I got to the department, instead of cheering the parent on for doing the right thing, theyd want us to take the kid away or tell the kid, Youre right and Your parents have no authority over you.. Supporters of Gabriel attended the hearing. One of his eyes was a deep red. If the victim is a child, a detective can end the investigation with no review by prosecutors. Once again, Rodriguez and Bom decided not to remove him or order a medical exam. Her 8-year-old son Gabriel fell and hit his head on a dresser, and now he wasn't breathing. She enjoys both developing curriculum for caregivers and delivering it in the classroom and online. Mind your own business. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Browning believed the field of child-abuse prevention needed a set of reforms similar to those that had been introduced throughout the country to better address domestic violence of romantic partnerssuch as mandatory-arrest laws, which require police officers to arrest an alleged perpetrator whenever there is probable cause, regardless of the victims wishes, and no drop prosecution policies, which mandate the prosecution of domestic-violence perpetrators whether or not their victims want to press charges. But when he tried to institute more rigorous performance standards, representatives of the service providersincluding many churchesfilled the county board of supervisors large meeting room and gave hours of heated testimony. He told her that they dont investigate, they report. Yet she also noticed that ideas came easily to Gabriel, and he seemed to gain a small measure of dominion over his surroundings with a pencil in hand. The prevalence of bone fractures, brain bleeds, and other injuries linked to caregivers showed that beatings were a recurring aspect of family life in many homes. Gabriel, did not directly physically abuse Gabriel and did not have the "duty" required by the child abuse charge. When Barbara Dallis, one of the departments assistant regional administrators, showed up at Merritts desk that morning asking for the Gabriel Fernandez case file, he didnt immediately understand that something terrible had happened. Payments of Excess and Unused Leave Time at Termination. Finally, Corona slipped him the familys name and contact information, urging Martinez to save this kid. He called the Department of Children and Family Services twice but got lost in the automated system and hung up. County Pension (Defined Benefits) Contributions. Justice Victoria Gerrard Chaney concurred that the four could not be charged with child abuse, but wrote a dissent arguing that they could be prosecuted as public officers under the relevant government code section. Stefanie Rodriguez (I) Actress + Add or change photo on IMDbPro Stefanie Rodriguez is known for Phil the Alien (2004). But Pearl noticed Martinez studying her son and abruptly grabbed Gabriel and his siblings and left, blocking Martinezs view of Gabriel on the way out. They acted in a way that was incompatible with the proper regard for human life. Later this year, a jury will reach its own conclusions. Clement and Merritt then became involved in the case. Rodriguez made one last visit, on January 29, 2013, after Garcia reported that Pearl Fernandez had shot Gabriel in the face with a BB gun. But she, too, said she didnt think about Gabriels casethat was in the past.. Due to over 60 complaints filed against Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre between 2003 and 2012, there were 8 investigations of them by the LA County Child Protective Services and the Department of Children and Family Services. Prosecutors say they failed to take the appropriate steps to protect Gabriel and then falsified documents related to his case. y then, Gabriels siblings later testified, he was spending almost all of his days and nights in the cubby. Ezequiel said he sometimes tried to crack open the padlocked door to sneak Gabriel a banana. In 2018, after Pearl and Isauros sentencing, prosecutors opened an investigation into the four social workers who had been assigned to Gabriels case. The earnings and benefits information are as follows: The California Public Records Act requires public disclosure of government salary information, which serves a significant public interest. She was particularly concerned with Gabriels behavioral problems, but she saw Pearls apparent willingness to participate in the Voluntary Family Maintenance program as an encouraging sign. For years, Greg Merritt would call headquarters for help on a case only to be told hed reached the wrong office, because the person who answered didnt know that Palmdale was in Los Angeles County. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or . In 2007 a complaint against Pearl claimed she didnt feed one of her daughters and threatened to break her jaw if she cried. When Garcia first questioned Gabriel about his injuries, he lied to her and told her he fell. Such shallow inquiries were routine across Los Angeles County. Let me stop you there. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . In her notes, she reported that shed observed the children to be appropriately dressed, visibly healthy, and did not have any marks or bruises., The following week, Garcia made multiple calls about Gabriels haircut and busted lip. Bom declined to comment for this article. Baghdad Central: How does the series differ from the original book? Sleeping Pods. This one guy was talking to himself all the time. Merritt assumed he was mentally ill. 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. It in the child abuse charge fall to the ground quickly when he hit him involved in the email sent. 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