Gabriel Fernandez was enrolled in the local school, Summerwind Elementary, where he had an unusual question for his first-grade teacher. [FACT CHECK]Gabriel Fernandez: Why did the 4 social workers' case not go to trial? Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552. We were not that type of parents. Gabriel Fernandez: Is Pearl Fernandez still in prison? This weekend marks seven years since parental child abuse took the life of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. Gabriel's uncle Chris Contreras is breaking his silence. As Garcia described Gabriel's progress in her class, Fernandez blurted out of nowhere, "I don't hit my kids." "Oh OK," said Garcia. You need to care," said Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami. "All those workers that came in, and therapists, why did they all believe her over the kid with the marks?". All rights reserved. "I can't tell you how many people I've spoken to that have chosen a career path in social services because they say they want to make a difference," Contreras said. Prosecutor Hatami firstly thought it was suspicious that she showed the note to his in-home counsellor, Carmen Le Norgant, just as she was leaving a visit less than three months before his death. But despite the grandparents' plea, the defenceless boy was ultimately allowed to stay with Pearl and Isauro after they took him. "I know that those that have heard or seen his story. 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. Elizabeth Carranza, Gabriel's. They closed their eyes and didnt see nothing?," he said. After Gabriel's death, Robert and Sandra Fernandez filed a claim against Los Angeles Country, the LA DCFS, Gabriel's school district, the sheriff's office and many more organizations involved. At her sentencing, she said: "Every day I wish that Id made better choices. 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 . 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.. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. In Touch Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. Their abuse led to his death in May 2013. Contreras received support he never imagined. Gabriel Fernandez: Why did the 4 social workers' case not go to trial? After having Fernandez, his mom, Pearl, decided she wasn't the right person to raise him. The prosecutor's crusade to protect children was ignited at the Palmdale complex where Gabriel lived. I feel like they are here with me too.". We convinced her to have Gabriel and for her to give [the baby] to us so we [could] raise it.. Those who knew Gabriel best talked to ABC7 about the boy. However, medical staff instantly realised it was much worse as they noticed injuries covering his entire body. His cause of death is not known. The proposal is pushed by Gabriel's cousin Emily Carranza who pins blame on Gabriel's social workers. Garcia intentionally left the door open because she was concerned about being alone with Pearl Fernandez. 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. Though the uncles confronted Fernandezs grandfather, Martinez says Robert believed that being raised by two gay men was making the little boy gay, so the grandparents decided to raise him themselves. 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.. Children are still getting murdered. He takes aim at the Department of Children and Family Services. The recent Netflix documentary, "The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez". It was her uncle, Michael Lemos Carranza, and his partner, David Martinez, who took care of Gabriel Fernandez during the first year of his life. Before Gabriel Fernandez returned to his mother Pearl Fernandez, he was brought up by his Great uncle Michael Lemos Carranza and his grandparents. "I think you not only have a moral and ethical obligation to save that child, I think you have a legal obligation to save that child. He lived with them for about four years, until his grandparents objected to him being cared for by two gay men. They wanted to prove he performed CPR as the boy was dying. Tuchel was statesman-like during the most fraught period in Chelsea's recent history. "I can't tell you how many people I've spoken to that have chosen a career path in social services because they say they want to make a difference," Contreras said. "We have added thousands of case workers, which have increased the capability of us to be able to work very closely with families," said Bobby Cagle, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. After they beat the 8-year-old boy so badly that he needed to go to the hospital, where he eventually died, his uncles rushed to be by his side. Gabriel Fernandez was eight years old when he died, Pearl Fernandez was sentenced to life in prison without parole. A position rejected by Hatami. Eventually, Pearl took Gabriel from his grandparents eight months before his death on May 24, 2013. ; Contact Us Have a question, idea, or some feedback? Gabriel's mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, were ultimately convicted of first-degree murder in the boy's death, with Pearl now serving a life sentence and Aguirre being held on death row after a jury found the boy suffered unprecedented abuse at the hands of his guardians who had custody of Gabriel for less than a year. RELATED: Antelope Valley torture, child death cases receive new attention with documentary, tribute mural. Contreras says Aguirre deserves no mercy, and he says evidence backs him up. ", Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox. Later investigations revealed Rodriguez had never received information detailing previous allegations that Pearl Rodriguez had neglected her other children. It is not any easier.". Your guess is just as good as mine. Martinez said in the doc: "He stayed with us for almost four years, until Grandpa Robert said that two gay guys shouldn't be raising a kid. David maintains that this allegation is false, as did some members of Gabriel's family. He'd said he was going to take Gabriel to a barbecue, but they later found out he'd lied. With Michael and David, Gabriel lived happily in a loving, family environment, with his great uncle and partner throwing birthday parties for him and showing him with love. 'Octomom' Nadya Suleman Is a Proud Mom of 14: See Her Kids Today! Gabriel's uncle, Chris Contreras, is breaking his silence. Thursday, 2nd March 2023See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. In an interview with ABC7, Contreras finally broke his silence, to mark the seven years since Gabriel's deaeth. His memory has generated positive steps to save children. DON'T MISSGabriel Fernandez: Is Gabriel Fernandezs killer still alive? "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 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). Relatives who loved him and cared for him. Tragically, Gabriel Fernandez's death was entirely preventable. The boy's uncle said he and his wife have adopted two of the boy's siblings, telling jurors that the children experience feelings of guilt about what happened to their younger brother. To this day, Contreras says Gabriel's siblings don't let themselves have fun, no matter how much he tries. He and his wife adopted Gabriel's siblings, the walking wounded. 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 would take him everywhere, he would always be clean and happy. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. In an interview with ABC7, Contreras finally broke his silence, to mark the seven years since Gabriel's deaeth. Just three days after he was born, Gabriel Fernandez was . Before living with his grandparents and dying under his mother's custody, Gabriel Fernandez resided with his great-uncle Michael Lemos Carranza and Michael's partner, David Martinez. In The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez, Martinez says of this, "We were close with Pearl and she didn't want it [baby Gabriel] and the family didn't want her to have him. Those who knew Gabriel best talked to ABC7 about the boy. In the early years of his life he lived with his Great Uncle but why did this change? But they didn't," said Carranza. Ezekiel was 12 and Virginia was 10 when they witnessed the torture inflicted by their own mother Pearl Fernandez and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre. PALMDALE, California -- This weekend marks seven years since parental child abuse took the life of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. 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.". Fernandez's parents, Robert and Sandra, helped raise the child as well, looking after him between 2005 and 2012. As seen in the Netflix documentary series, he was kept locked in a cupboard on numerous occasions and suffered unbelievable injuries. PALMDALE, Calif. -- This weekend marks seven years since parental child abuse. One way or another," Contreras said. One of the most distressing elements of Gabriel's case was that he wrote a suicide note, aged eight. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. And in January this year, a motion to rehear the appeals court decision was denied and the criminal case against these four is not progressing further. But there's speculation that the note found was part of an unimaginably despicable plan to kill Gabriel and get away with it. "Something brings it back in. Gabriel Fernandez: Which other cases were tried in same LA courtroom? Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. How safe is your neighborhood? They want me to plead guilty to something I haven't done. "What they did is almost as bad as what Pearl and Isauro did," he said. Young Gabriel Fernandez. While 19-stone security guard Isauro was known to have beaten four stone Gabriel unconscious, Pearl's relatives suspect she was really the boss when it came to some of the most horrific torture. Born on January 4, 1968, Carranza passed away on September 17, 2014, a little over a year after Gabriel's demise. In November 2017, Isauro was found guilty of murder with an additional special circumstance of intentional murder by torture. In Netflixs documentary, Michaels partner David Martinez recalls: She didnt want him and the family didnt want her to have him. Days after Gabriel was born on February 21, 2005, he was placed in the care of his Great Uncle Michael, who was the uncle of Gabriels mother Pearl. Ligature marks on his ankles like hed been tied up. "I would show everybody that picture of Gabriel in the hospital. We convinced her to have Gabriel and for her to give [the baby] to us so we [could] raise it., Its alleged Pearl showed no affection for her baby, allegedly calling Michael and saying: Come and get your kid, hes getting on my nerves already.. I confront him, and say 'why did you say that, you didn't want him to be born, you didn't want him when he was born, nobody in the family wanted him.'". He saw how it opened minds and hearts. Is Every Duggar Ridiculously Messy? He saw how it opened minds and hearts. RELATED: Palmdale abuse case: Mother of slain 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez pleads guilty, Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, FL Gov. In the docuseries, David said that Pearl told Michael to "come and get his kid" because he was crying and getting on her nerves. It's all those emotions are there. The series originally had included the Contreras family, but to allow more time for healing, Contreras requested that their part be taken out. But Gov. RELATED: Palmdale abuse case: Mother of slain 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez pleads guilty, Sunshine returns to SoCal on Thursday but cold temps stick around, World of Barbie to open next month at Santa Monica Place, Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky. Children are still getting tortured and this is after Gabriel," Hatami said. His memory has generated positive steps to save children. "I would show everybody that picture of Gabriel in the hospital. RELATED: Palmdale mother gets life prison term, boyfriend sentenced to death in 8-year-old's torture-killing. A new voice joined the outcry. Those were just some of the injuries suffered by Gabriel Fernandez at the hands of his mother, Pearl, shortly before he died. Robert keeps on saying, 'ah, because he says that he loves you guys, you two fa*****'". The logic was that if Isauro was trying to save the boy's life, he couldn't have intended to kill him, so he wasn't guilty of murder. "There were rumours that he [Gabriel] was gay, and it's like, 'no, my baby's not gay. 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. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody'. She contemplated abortion on several occasions and would have gone through with it had her uncle had not convinced her to have the baby. Children are still getting tortured and this is after Gabriel," Hatami said. A post on the Gabriels Justice Facebook page from September 2014 reads: It is with a heavy heart and tears, that I inform you.. Today my beloved cousin Michael has passed away today. [EXPLAINER]Gabriel Fernandez: Who is Michael Lemos Carranza? 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. Car loads.". He didnt look like a child," she says. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. 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. Social worker Stefanie Rodriguez and other representatives of child protection agencies also visited Gabriel's home on a number of occasions. Pearl pleaded guilty to first degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole. We were not allowed to see him, Martinez explained in the doc. Heartwarming footage in the documentary showcases pictures of Michael, David and Gabriel playing together and celebrating Christmas. I will love him until I die. In 2012 he moved back in with Pearl and Aguirre so she could reportedly claim additional welfare. But Contreras says a door opened recently. 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.". 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