The many prior hotline calls gave them five points. The next day, Pearl Fernandezs attorneys proposed a deal to accept life in prison without the possibility of parole or appeal if the prosecution would agree to drop its push for the death penalty. It had expanded because of the funding changes instituted during the Bush administration. First responders noted that every single inch of his body had signs of abuse. 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 Gabriel to be moved out of the family home. Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Benefits. 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. Aguirre pleaded not guilty, however, the jury found him guilty and recommended he be sentenced to death. In late April, Gabriel appeared in class looking worse than Garcia had ever seen him. His neck had been stripped of a layer of skin. This dataset includes compensation information of about one hundred thousands employees working in Los Angeles County, provided by the Auditor-Controller office of Los Angeles County as required by public disclosure laws. Stefanie has been found in 13 states including Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Arizona. She claimed to social workers that she had concerns about how he was being treated but family members say she wanted Gabriels welfare benefits. When he looked at Gabriel, he saw cigarette burns all over the boys head and neck. Rodriguez made no entry in the case file to reflect the call. Pearl Fernandez had a history of mental-health problems, which gave the family two points. They didnt understand what they saw. Garcia told the court Gabriel showed up with chunks of hair missing and bloody scabs on his head. Suddenly, Pearl wanted custody back in October 2012. 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. He was hungry for Garcias attention and praise and would stay behind at recess to help her collate and staple papers. Cat feces had been forced down his throat. Meet the model and actress, Jeremy Bamber: Killer serving life sentence on road with ironic name. Check for a confirmation email, and then you're all set with MyNewsLA.com! Stefanie Rodriguez is an actress, known for Phil the Alien (2004). The Second District California Appellate Court heard arguments from lawyers representing Kevin Bom, Stefanie Rodriguez, Gregory Merritt and Patricia Clement. He whispered to Garcia that he didnt know what to say when they asked what had happened. Gabriel at School Just Before Mother's Day. She trusts that if she stays grounded and listens to her instincts and follows the departments rules and processes, she wont ever need to confront the details of Gabriels case or another like it. His new address meant a new school, too. They claimed to have never found strong enough signs of abuse in order to remove Gabriel from the house. Merritts attorney even accused Gabriels teacher, Jennifer Garcia, of not doing enough to protect him, because she had followed Rodriguezs instructions to call her directly when she had concerns. If found guilty, they will be among the first caseworkers from a child-welfare agency to go to prison for their lapses on the job. Four Los Angeles County social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 30; Patricia Clement, 65; Kevin Bom, 36; and Gregory Merritt, 60 have been charged with child abuse and falsifying public. Skin was peeling off his forehead. 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. Rodriguez returned her call the following day andallegedly said was assigned to the case and would investigate. You survived. When it was time to leave at 5 oclock, I left, whether I had a mound of paperwork in my cubicle or not. The job was hard, and one of the things that angered him most was when a subordinate worked unpaid hours. A motion to appeal the 2nd District Court of Appeals decision was denied in January 2020. 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. The Pharmacist on Netflix: Whats the shocking true story. After Jennifer Garcia called the hotline, it fell to Rodriguez to investigate and assess Gabriels safety. I drove around aimlessly for a while and lost track of time.. Inside, fluorescent bulbs threw a dull yellow light across the courtroom. OPEN GOV US GOV US. NEW social workers in the case of Gabriel Fernandez came under investigation after the child died at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend. Name. 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. Garcia threw it in the trash in disgust and frustration. When Le Norgant asked Gabriel whether he was serious, he stared blankly and said Yes. She informed Clement and Merritt, but they took no additional action. An autopsy report showed bruises, fractures, and cuts all over his body including his groin as well as BB's embedded in his body. The other children were silent. Social Work Intern Sarah Vretas, M.A., LPC Clinical Fellow Mariah Willis, B.A., CT Clinical Counseling Intern Counseling and Consultation Service - Office of Student Life CCS Main Office: Younkin Success Center (4th Floor), 1640 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201 . Isuaro and Pearl even pepper sprayed Gabriel the night before he died. Le Norgant informed social worker Patricia Clement and Palmdales LAC DCFS supervisor Greg Merritt. In a series of conversations over the past year, Merritt told me that for months he was so crippled by guilt and shame over his role in Gabriels case that he rarely left the house. He tended to see hope where others saw a lost cause. The provider is registered as an individual and her NPI . About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Finances Cost per Session: $80 - $150 . City News Service contributed to this report. Pearl sat quickly, fidgeting and rubbing her nose. 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. 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. On November 26th, 2012 Gabriel showed up to class late. She was a ticking time bomb, Teresa Linn Stanley, a caseworker who once worked side by side with Clement, told me. Rodriguez made no entry of this call. Scalp, Face, Neck, Ears and Shoulder Injuries Documented at Trial (diagam) | Autopsy Injury Diagram (drawing). If you spent time with Pat, you just knew.. If the case went to trial and Rodriguez, Clement, Bom, and Merritt had been found guilty, they could have faced up to 10 years in prison each. Two social workers, Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement, as well as two of their supervisors, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt, were each charged with one felony count of child abuse and . Did he ever have to eat anything weird? Hatami asked. Grace: My mom is 77 and she's better about money. - nbcnews.com. The social worker Garcia contacted, Stefanie Rodriguez, 31, another social worker, Patricia Clement, 66, and two of their supervisors, Kevin Bom, 37, and Gregory Merritt, 61, are now facing charges of one felony count each of child abuse and falsifying records in relation to this case. Judge Mary Lou Villar stated that each defendant should have noticed the danger Gabriel was in and requested he be removed from the home, or at the very least ordered a medical examination. Gabriel Fernandez: Is Gabriel Fernandezs killer still alive? Aguirre received the death sentence. On May 23, 2013, this grim assembly line paused at Greg Merritts cubicle in the Palmdale branch office. As Garcia started reviewing Gabriels progress, his mother blurted, I dont hit my kids.. 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.. They turned to the tools they used regularly on him: a BB gun, pepper spray, coat hangers, and a wooden baseball bat. He told her that they dont investigate, they report. 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. Almost three years had passed since Gabriels death, and many people had all but forgotten that a criminal review was under way. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. The thing she loves most about working at the Alliance, is connecting with caregivers. Merritt assigned supervision of Gabriels case to a member of his team named Pat Clement, who would become the fourth person from the agency to face criminal charges. The filing followed the Palmdale boys death in May 2013 from a beating by his mothers boyfriend and reports of months of torture prior to that. Later investigations revealed Rodriguez had never received information which showed Pearl Rodriguez had abused and neglected her other children. Sleeping Pods. In a short conversation, Rodriguez told me that during the time she supervised Gabriels welfare, other children in her caseload seemed to her to be in equal or greater danger. With his mother present, Gabriel told Rodriguez the bruises on his face came from a fall he had playing with his brother and dissenter. A three-justice panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal issued an opinion Monday directing a lower court to dismiss child abuse and other charges against four social workers in the killing of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. !. RELATED: DCFS asks for public's help amid sharp drop in possible child abuse reports, Brunt of storm moving out of SoCal on Wednesday; showers will linger, Children jump for joy at seeing snow flurries in Canyon Country, RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan is denied parole for 16th time. The Second District California Appellate Court heard arguments from lawyers. Whoops! Each of the four defendants, she said, should have noticed that Gabriel was in danger and filed a petition for his removal from the home, or at least ordered a medical examination. They additionally contend that supervisors Bomand Meritt knew or should have known that the reports were false as they contradicted physical evidence of Gabriels deteriorating physical health. 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