Why No One Saved Gabriel Fernandez. During the trial of Isauro Aguirre, Robert testified that that one day his daughter took Gabriel and refused to bring him back. Gabriel Fernandez was eight years old when he died, Pearl Fernandez was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The power for change, Hatami said, is reflected in a growing memorial. Despite this, supervisor Gregory Merritt closed the case. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. He is now and will forever be with his Gabriel.. May you both be hugging and laughing. This weekend marks seven years since parental child abuse took the life of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. This is despite LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey previously telling NBC Los Angeles she stood by the charges, stating: There ought to be some criminal consequences.. Gabriel Fernandez: Who is Michael Lemos Carranza? "They can't fight for themselves, they can't speak out for themselves," said Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami. He said: She [Pearl] didnt want him and the family didnt want her to have him. Is Every Duggar Ridiculously Messy? 2023 Vox Media, LLC. A new voice joined the outcry. Following Gabriels death, his great Uncle Michael criticised the Los Angeles Child Protection Services and led a memorial mass at a Los Angeles church for Gabriel. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. For him, it's personal. "I know that those that have heard or seen his story. On May 24, 2013, Gabriel Fernandez, an eight-year-old boy from Palmdale, California, who had been abused and tortured over a period of months, was murdered by his mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, from whom he had received a beating two days earlier. Four Los Angeles County social workers - Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement along with two supervisors, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt were charged in connection with the boy's death. This weekend marks seven years since parental child abuse took the life of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. Gabriel Fernandez: Which other cases were tried in same LA courtroom? Contreras says Aguirre deserves no mercy, and he says evidence backs him up. PALMDALE, Calif. -- This weekend marks seven years since parental child abuse. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez details the horrendous abuse Gabriel endured, which also included forcing him to eat cat faeces, burning him with cigarettes and locking him in a cabinet. "I know that those that have heard or seen his story. Mom of 2, stabbed 8 times, is making most of second chance at life, Whose leak is it anyway? "They had the upper hand, I honestly believe to remove him and save him. Gabriel Fernandez, eight, died in Los Angeles at the hand of his mother and stepdad after social workers allegedly failed to act Gabriel's two siblings were adopted by their uncle, Chris Contreras and his wife. Meanwhile, his siblings described watching their brother being forced to eat cat litter and have cold baths while being pepper sprayed. When we got to the hospital the day before, he was still alive, and he was going to talk to me. Instead, they never got the chance. They need somebody else to do it, but especially during this time. My Research and Language Selection Sign into My Research Create My Research Account English; Help and support. Later, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) deported his partner David to El Salvador. Heartwarming footage in the documentary showcases pictures of Michael, David and Gabriel playing together and celebrating Christmas. "He was my baby," David said. Isauro didn't have blood on his hands or anywhere on his body, which was strange given the amount all over Gabriel when paramedics found him. Pearl Fernandez gave birth to Gabriel on February 21 2005, but within days had given him up to her uncle, Michael Lemos Carranza, and his partner, David Martinez. Have a tip? After his death, it emerged that the Department of Children and Family Services had received. He didnt look like a child," she says. And there's momentum for "Gabriel's Law." His memory has generated positive steps to save children. Mourners have had questions. The docuseries briefly goes into Gabriel's time under their care, years before his mother, Pearl, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, brutally killed the 8-year-old. If you knew Pearl, Pearl was never the victim. "I would show everybody that picture of Gabriel in the hospital. Michael passed away on Sept. 17, 2014, about a year after Gabriel. He was declared brain dead and taken off life support two days later. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. PALMDALE, California -- This weekend marks seven years since parental child abuse took the life of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. Gabriel Fernandez: Is Gabriel Fernandezs killer still alive? It is not any easier," Contreras said. Every question put his way was handled with a blend of authority and empathy. But Gov. Gabriel's memory in the household is so painful, they avoid it. Gabriel lived with Michael and David for the first few years of his life. Michael Lemos Carranza was Gabriel Fernandez's great-uncle, with whom Gabriel lived with for the first four years of his life, along with Michael's partner, David Martinez. Gabriel Fernandez: Is Pearl Fernandez still in prison? Martinez, who was featured in the documentary, explained, She didnt want him and the family didnt want her to have him. (Photo by Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images), Isauro Aguirre was given the death penalty for the murder of Gabriel Fernandez. Gabriel died in intensive care after being savagely beaten and tortured at his home in Palmdale, Los Angeles County, by Pearl Fernandez and her partner Isauro Aguirro. After having Fernandez, his mom, Pearl, decided she wasn't the right person to raise him. The charges, filed in 2016, marked the first time Los Angeles caseworkers . In the doc, he says, "ICE got hold of me. Four had been charged but the appeals court dismissed the case ruling that the workers did not have a legal responsibility to care for a child the way a parent did. She also recalls seeing "cigarette marks like people had been putting cigarettes out on him". In a suit Robert Fernandez brought against the county of Los Angeles with his wife Sandra after the death of Gabriel, the couple allege that they always had custody of the child. Those who knew Gabriel best talked to ABC7 in Los Angeles about the boy. Notably, it was fears of Gabriel's potential homosexuality that were revealed as a direct cause of the abuse Gabriel faced, as revealed at the trial of one of his killers, Isauro Aguirre. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a full brown reveal of the life and death of an eight. Living in a household gripped by fear. SoCal parental abuse case: Uncle breaks silence nearly 7 years after 8-year-old boy's death. Elizabeth Carranza, Gabriels great-aunt and Michaels sister spoke highly of Michael and David parenting. The Los Angeles DA stated that Aguirre frequently beat Gabriel because he thought the boy was gay. "As far as Canada, they come. "When her and Tony would fight, she was the abusive one to him.". For other inquiries, Contact Us. But Prosecutor Jon Hatami believed Pearl took Gabriel into her custody so she could claim more welfare benefits. Gabriel Fernandez was born to a mother, Pearl Fernandez, that didn't know how to love him. I will love him until I die.". "All those workers that came in, and therapists, why did they all believe her over the kid with the marks?". As for where Michael is now, unfortunately, Gabriel's great uncle has passed away. But what happened that led to the 8-year-old boy leaving their custody and dying at the hands of mom Pearl Fernandez and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre? Children are still getting tortured and this is after Gabriel," Hatami said. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Gavin Newsom, citing his personal sense of morality, suspended all executions for as long as he's in office. 90 Day Fiance's Hamza's Green Card Status 'Battle' Amid Memphis Divorce, '90 Day Fiance' Star Memphis Smith Alleges Hamza Moknii Was 'Abusive', 90 Day's Hamza Requested Paternity Test for Daughter Amid Memphis Split. Relatives who loved him and cared for him. In Touch Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. His cause of death is not known. Carranza's death meant he never saw justice for the little boy he loved so much. However, Pearl and Aguirre called Gabriel gay and hurt him for acting in manners that they considered. The power for change, Hatami says, is reflected in a growing memorial. It is not any easier.". The horrifying murder was detailed in Netflix documentary The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. Amid the toys and tender mementos, a call to save children before it is too late. [EXPLAINER]Gabriel Fernandez: Who is Michael Lemos Carranza? But she claims that not only did the LAPD not believe the horrific things Gabriel said were happening to him, they told him to stop lying. Gabriel Fernandez: What is The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez about? Unfortunately, they were his last eight months. Elizabeth Carranza says she contacted both the cops and social workers multiple times, worrying about Gabriel's safety. RELATED: Slain SoCal boy pepper-sprayed in face, forced to eat cat feces, brother testifies. However, medical staff instantly realised it was much worse as they noticed injuries covering his entire body. Ezekiel was 12 and Virginia was 10 when they witnessed the torture inflicted by their own mother Pearl Fernandez and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre. It would give an officer on an abuse call a way to quickly check for DCFS history and alert the caseworker. According to Pearl's great-aunt Elizabeth Carranza, both men loved Gabriel very much. Gabriel Fernandez season 2 release date: Will there be another series? In the docuseries, David said that Pearl told Michael to "come and get his kid" because he was crying and getting on her nerves. But there's speculation that the note found was part of an unimaginably despicable plan to kill Gabriel and get away with it. It's all those emotions are there. One of the most distressing elements of Gabriel's case was that he wrote a suicide note, aged eight. Elizabeth Carranza, Gabriel's. Those who knew Gabriel best talked to ABC7 about the boy. I don't know what the country's about at all. Sadly Michael died in 2014, just 16 months after Gabriel. Before his death, Gabriel Fernandez didnt always live with his mother his uncles Michael Lemos Carranza and David Martinez were also a big part of his life. They closed their eyes and didnt see nothing?," he said. "They can't fight for themselves, they can't speak out for themselves. You see his pictures as a baby, he was always smiling. Gabriel was repeatedly beaten and tortured by his evil mother and her partner before he died in 2013 - all because they thought he was gay. She contemplated abortion on several occasions and would have gone through with it had her uncle had not convinced her to have the baby. "What they did is almost as bad as what Pearl and Isauro did," added Contreras. He and his wife adopted Gabriel's siblings, the walking wounded. I haven't been here [San Salvador] for 38 years. It's all those emotions are there. In Spanish, he can be heard saying: "They want me to plead guilty to something I haven't done. "Something brings it back in. The head of DCFS says since Gabriel's death, the system has been overhauled. One way or another," Contreras said. The Most Outrageous True Crime Stories of 2019, 11 True Crime Novels That Every Armchair Detective Will Love, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). Gabriel Fernandez was only 8 years old when he was brutally murdered by his mother Pearl and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre.And as detailed in Netflix's documentary "The Trials of Gabriel . "Unfortunately, I think this is something that's gonna affect them the rest of their lives. David currently resides in San Salvador, where he was interviewed for the docuseries. As Garcia described Gabriel's progress in her class, Fernandez blurted out of nowhere, "I don't hit my kids." "Oh OK," said Garcia. Eventually, Pearl took Gabriel from his grandparents eight months before his death on May 24, 2013. We convinced her to have Gabriel and for her to give [the baby] to us so we [could] raise it., The couple raised the little boy until he was 4 years old. He was my baby. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. They want me to plead guilty to something I haven't done. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. ; Contact Us Have a question, idea, or some feedback? Car loads.". Isauro, however, denied the charge, and was ultimately sentenced to death in 2018 he's now on death row. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez: The Tragic Story of Gabriel's Uncle Michael, objected to him being cared for by two gay men. They claimed that Gabriel Fernandez was tortured, forced to eat cat Litter and his own vomit. Ezekiel was 12 and Virginia was 10 when they witnessed the torture inflicted by their own mother Pearl Fernandez and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre. "What they did is almost as bad as what Pearl and Isauro did," he said. "Something brings it back in. Paramedics had been called out to his house in Los Angeles by his mother Pearl, who claimed over the phone that he had slipped in the bathroom and hit his head. His memory has generated positive steps to save children. "Unfortunately, I think this is something that's gonna affect them the rest of their lives. "In her mind," Hatami said of Pearl, "She's thinking that they were gonna get rid of him. Because no matter how many times I saw Gabriel smile, when I think of Gabriel now, I picture him in that hospital bed, not waking up.". Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Gabriel Fernandez: What happened to prosecutor Jon Hatami? According to the LA Times, Robert and Sandra claimed they warned cops that Pearl had a history of abuse with her other children but they allowed Gabriel to stay with her anyway. His memory has generated positive steps to save children. "They had the upper hand, I honestly believe to remove him and save him. Sadly, just 16 months after Gabriels death, 46-year-old Michael Lemos Carranza died on September 17, 2014. And if you don't, I think the public then should have the right to hold you criminally responsible," Hatami said. [INSIGHT]. The social workers were there. Here's all that we know about Michael and his partner, who too had tragic fates. WHEN little Gabriel Fernandez took his last breath in intensive care, his broken body lay covered in injuries worse than any of his doctors had ever seen from his shattered skull to the burns and bruises all over his skin. They would take him everywhere, he would always be clean and happy. Children are still getting murdered. We convinced her to have Gabriel and for her to give [the baby] to us so we [could] raise it.. To this day, Contreras says Gabriel's siblings don't let themselves have fun, no matter how much he tries. There was no question that eight-year-old Gabriel had suffered tremendously, but there are many unanswered questions as to how his evil parents were able to get away with torturing him for so long. When he was 3 days old, Pearl sent her son to live with Michael. Gabriel Fernandez: What happened to Gabriel Fernandezs parents? Because no matter how many times I saw Gabriel smile, when I think of Gabriel now, I picture him in that hospital bed, not waking up.". Gabriel with his grandparents, Sandra and Robert Fernandez, before he was made to live with his murderous mum Credit: Netflix When Gabriel was born, drug addict Pearl gave him away to be raised by . They wanted to prove he performed CPR as the boy was dying. THE uncle of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, who died after years of abuse at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend, has spoken out for the first time since the child's death in 2013. Seven years later, his story has traveled worldwide. And having never tried to care for him before, why was she showing concern about his mental welfare now? Instead, she gave him to her uncle Carranza (Fernandezs great-uncle) and his partner, David Martinez. Aguirre was sentenced to death. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody'. The proposal is pushed by Gabriel's cousin Emily Carranza who pins blame on Gabriel's social workers. 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