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. SOURCES: The Atlantic | LA Times 1 | LA times 2 | LA Times 3 | LA Daily News | Oprah Magazine | NBC LA | ABC | Bom et al. 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. By contrast, Virginia, 14, appeared unable to escape her memories. Stephanie Rodrigues is a member of the caregiver training team. Le Norgant also called 911, but the officer who visited the home left without even talking to Gabriel. Find 181 people named Stefanie Rodriguez along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. She said she had been assigned to investigate and told Garcia to call her directly if she noticed anything suspicious in the future. She was a ticking time bomb, Teresa Linn Stanley, a caseworker who once worked side by side with Clement, told me. Find Stefanie Rodriguez's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. Rodriguez never went to the school or talked to the neighbors. Rodriguez was able to answer the programs multiple-choice questions based almost entirely on information that had been logged into the agencys files before she began her investigation. Executive Business Partner at Lyft . If you spent time with Pat, you just knew.. Get notified about new Licensed Clinical Social Worker jobs in Chevy Chase, MD. Back in her classroom, Garcia saw the Mothers Day card on Gabriels desk. Fishpond Hong Kong, Statistical Mechanics, Third Edition by R K Pathria . We just report what we see. Garcia called Rodriguez and left messages on two different numbers the caseworker had given her. He was supposed to read the entire file first, but he hadnt gotten to it. She stated that on two occasions, Gabriel himself asked her, Can you call that lady? City News Service contributed to this report. A police officer came to the home but left without talking to Gabriel. The card was shaped like a house and said Open the door to see who loves you. He pasted his picture inside. I live Coram Deo, he said. An arrest warrant filed March 28 identifies the four Los Angeles social workers as Stefanie Rodriguez, 30, Patricia Clement, 65, Kevin Bom, 36, and Gregory Merritt, 60. The two 29-year-old women locked eyes in uneasy silence. I just dont want to remember it.. Each week, O'Connell Rodriguez answers some super common and everyday questions about . Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Chevy Chase, MD, Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Dice by 2x. Gabriel at School Just Before Mother's Day. In a 2-1 opinion, the three-justice panel concluded there was no probable cause to hold the two social workers and their supervisors on the charges. The District Attorney may appeal this decision. he next day, the principal at Summerwind called Garcia into his office to tell her that Gabriel was dead. Take your time, Garcia told him. With his mother nearby, Gabriel told Rodriguez that hed made up the story about her hitting him with a belt buckle. In January 2013, Rodriguez visited the family home after Ms Garcia reported Gabriel had been shot in the face with BB gun. Click the link in the email we sent to to verify your email address and activate your job alert. The case made against the four social workers never made it to trial. The case against Rodriguez, Clement, Bom and Merritt never made it to trial after the Second District Court of Appeal advised that the case be dismissed. 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. As days passed, and then weeks, Gabriels situation only seemed to worsen. In 2017, social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, Patricia Clement, and supervisors Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt, were charged with child abuse and falsifying public records. 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. Any savings could be spent on programs aimed at keeping families intact. 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. Counselor Barbara Dixon testified that while working at Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services, which handled Gabriels case, she did not report suspected abuse despite being legally required to report these suspicions. Why did you lie and tell me you fell?, When I tell you, and that lady comes, then I get hurt worse.. Free college is now a reality in nearly 30 states. Then the department moved on.. He called the non-emergency line to report. She decided to call Rodriguez again, and again got voicemail. In 2006, Sanders left the agency for the powerful Casey Family Programs, a $2.4 billion foundation that provides assistance to child-protective-services agencies nationwide. He was on life support until May 24th, 2013. I could hardly walk. Yet, nothing appeared to resolve the home abuse. I just pictured him being alone, she told me. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Social workers Patricia Clement, left, and Stefanie Rodriguez, third from left, and supervisors Kevin Bom, second from right, and Gregory Merritt, fourth from right, who were charged with. Gabriel moved in with his mother and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, as well as two siblings: an 11-year-old brother named Ezequiel and a 9-year-old sister, Virginia. Pearl was yelling at him to sit, and Martinez told her to tone it down. MORE: Palmdale woman, boyfriend sentenced in 8-year-old's torture killing. One day, he stole Garcias iPod and took it to his mom, trying to please her. The girl later said that her mother asked her to help soak up blood from the floor. he temperature outside was already in the 80s on the morning last fall when Ezequiel and Virginia testified in Isauro Aguirres murder trial. 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. Express. 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. 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. This time she reached her, and pressed her about what she was doing: How did Pearl Fernandez explain the injuries? Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His mommy, she told them through tears, hurt him really bad.. For other inquiries, Contact Us. 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. 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. People there told me over and over that they didnt think about Gabriels case and didnt even know much about itthey werent sure exactly what had happened or what mistakes had been made. But he told me hed sent the information only to be thorough; hed never expected anything to come of it. Or was it a systemic one, the result of a department so ill-equipped to safeguard children that tragedies were bound to happen? But the program worried Philip Browning, whod become the head of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services in 2011. Gabriel asked his teacher, Jennifer Garcia, if it was normal for moms to hit their kids. Instead, she punished him by sending him to school in girls clothing the next daya tiny pink shirt and tight polka-dot leggings. Their case marks one of the few times social worked have been charged in a child abuse case in the US. . Pearl Fernandez admitted that shed hit him with the belt. There were cigarette burns on his neck, feet, and genitals and ligature marks on both ankles. Gabriels grandmother objected, telling deputies that Pearl neglected and abused her children. That means every day I live before the face of God, and thats what keeps me sane.. For Jennifer Garcia, the 201213 school year was off to a disappointing start. Merritt, one of the. Earnings for Regularly Scheduled Work Hours. Finances Cost per Session: $80 - $150 . Like many others, shed wanted out of Palmdale for a long time, and she often talked about the business ventures she hoped would finance her escape: a vending-machine enterprise, an RV park. I mean, everybody beats their kids. He called the number for nonemergencies and was later told that a sheriffs deputy had gone to Gabriels home but hadnt seen anything wrong. The Auditor-Controller of Los Angele County provides financial leadership and expert advice on a wide range of fiscal matters and advocates for financial integrity and accountability in all County business practices, and also develops financial policies and guidelines for departmental operations and issues checks to vendors, employees, child support payments, judgments and damages and other claims against the County, as well as other financial responsibilities. Cat feces had been forced down his throat. All rights reserved. Negligent child welfare workers may face prison time in connection with the death 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. Pearl and Aguirre asked no questions and offered no pleasantries. Hed met his wife, Bonnie, there, and was considered one of the agencys best supervisors. Neither got far past the idea stage. 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. Money Confidential is a podcast that dives into all aspects of money with expert Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez. Meet the Poldark actor, The trials of Gabriel Fernandez is streaming on Netflix now, White House Farm: Bizarre reason Jeremy Bamber won awards' in prison, White House Farm: Who is Cressida Bonas? Cigarette burns covered his feet and genitals. 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. Found insideWith the introduction of new sections and additional information, the fourth edition should prove highly useful for the students. LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Unprecedented charges against Los Angeles County social workers were filed following the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez of Palmdale. Gabriel's mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, was sentenced to life in prison, while her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was sentenced to death. They claimed to have never found strong enough signs of abuse in order to remove Gabriel from the house. . drop in the number of children in foster care, The Still-Harrowing Extent of Child Abuse and Neglect, In a Year, Child-Protective Services Checked Up on 3.2 Million Children, When the State Takes Kids Away From Parents: Three Perspectives. n April 26, Pearl Fernandez was at the welfare office with her children when a security guard named Arturo Martinez recognized what the trained professionals had somehow failed to see: that Gabriel was the victim of extreme abuse, and urgently needed rescuing. We processed them for discharge, he said. Her caseload included up to 40 children at a time. The Auditor-Controller discloses information about compensations paid to employees of Los Angeles County in the form of earnings and fringe benefits. Every employment contract between a state or local agency and any public official or public employee is a public record which is not subject to the provisions of the law. DCFS has since made some vital improvements: It has hired more than 1,000 additional caseworkers, provided staffers with much-needed smartphones, introduced new training methods, and tightened the standards for acceptance into the Voluntary Family Maintenance program. Fernandez pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty and received a sentence of life in prison without parole. OPEN GOV US GOV US. Looking for Stefanie Rodriguez online? About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. However, Lomeli is expected to dismiss the charges at 8:30 a.m Thursday. We have, in effect, encouraged DCFS and its social workers to cover their tracks if they stumble on the cracks in the system.. During the seven months when caseworkers were ostensibly watching over Gabriel, evidence of his abuse steadily accumulated. 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. He lied because whenever a social worker would visit his punishments would increase. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Lomeli also handled the social worker case and in 2018 had denied a motion to dismiss the charges, saying the boy's death was "foreseeable.". This information is according to Los Angeles County payrolls for the 2013 fiscal . His hair cut was awful and sloppy, and chunks of his scalp had scabbed over. Gabriel Fernandez joined the class even later, in mid-October, more than a month into the school year. When the charges were announced, Browning made a statement describing Gabriels case as an isolated incident and describing the four defendants as outliers whose actions shouldnt reflect on the department as a whole. The announcement that they faced criminal charges had come as a shock. I wanted to go there and hold his hand and say, Youre going to be okay. The provider is registered as an individual and her NPI . Long Term Disability Premiums, Life Insurance Premiums and Employer Medicare Tax. The disclosed employee information includes last name, first name, middle initial name, position title, department, fiscal year, earnings and benfits. 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. He was able to find only sporadic work, stocking beer at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. Prosecutors had granted immunity to a caseworker and a therapist, in exchange for their testimony against Merritt and the other defendants. On May 22, Pearl and Aguirre tortured Gabriel a final time. Such was the case with 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez and his first-grade teacher Jennifer Garcia. Lets talk about this at recess., When recess came, he pressed on: Is it normal for your mom to hit you with the part of the belt that has that metal thing on the end?, Yeah, he said. On Friday, December 20, the former Counting On star revealed she'd "chopped off" more than a foot of her long locks and she looks like a whole new woman. The social workers case is set to be heard Jan. 14 in Lomelis court. 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. Gabriels attendance was sporadic. The case became the subject of a PBS documentary, and media attention made Logan a symbol of child-protective services overreach. ), First published on January 7, 2020 / 5:43 AM. Garcia called the principal to the room to take a look at Gabriels head. The DCFS Internal investigation found that neither Rodriguez or her supervisor Bon reviewed information regarding Pearl and her history with the DCFS. Lomeli called the pair nothing short of evil and worse than animalistic because even animals know how to take care of their young.. The family called it the cubby.. Gabriels mother, Pearl, was already known to the authorities following previous child abuse-related incidents. Stefanie Rodriguez Found 287 people in California, New York and 39 other states View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. 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