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. The family called it the cubby.. His wrists had ligature marks, as if hed been tied up. The appellate court formally sent the matter back to the lower court in April and Lomeli was expected to officially drop the charges on Thursday. Yet, nothing appeared to resolve the home abuse. The practitioner's primary taxonomy code is 1041C0700X with license number P014141 (NC). Please fill in the following form. Stefanie has been found in 13 states including Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Arizona. Still, she agreed to let me interview her at her new home, on the edge of a golf course in Californias Coachella Valley desert. 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. The department deemed all reports unsubstantiated. 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 Fernandez joined the class even later, in mid-October, more than a month into the school year. Find 181 people named Stefanie Rodriguez along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. He lied because whenever a social worker would visit his punishments would increase. First responders noted that every single inch of his body had signs of abuse. In June 2018, Lomeli sentenced Isauro Aguirre to death for the boys first-degree murder and a special circumstance allegation of murder involving torture. The District Attorney may appeal this decision. In my opinion, no crime was committed and I did not commit a crime., The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is streaming on Netflix now. Other Benefits, Short Disability Insurance and Dependent & Health Care Spending Accounts. 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. In California, the downturn in foster care began even before Logans death, and was steeper than the national one. Its not part of your duties.. Express. students of physics. 2017 toyota corolla wheel torque specs stefanie rodriguez social worker now I drove around aimlessly for a while and lost track of time.. 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. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. They just couldnt wrap their heads around it, she told me. 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. 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. BB pellets pockmarked his skin. Learn More{{/message}}. Murder of Gabriel Fernandez - Wikipedia - wikipedia.org . 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. Pearl sat quickly, fidgeting and rubbing her nose. Gabriels eyes seemed to ask Martinez for help. From 1998 to 2013, the number of kids in foster care in Los Angeles County fell from about 50,000 to 19,000. She knewas so many of the schools staff members knewthat Gabriel was in danger at home. Social worker 22,700 followers . Sign in to create your job alert for Licensed Clinical Social Worker jobs in Chevy Chase, MD. Clement had filed for bankruptcy. Take your time, Garcia told him. But Merritt was proud of his work, especially his efforts to keep together families that might otherwise be separated. The couple got married in Iowa in 2018. 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.. He was able to find only sporadic work, stocking beer at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. 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. Martinez returned to his desk in disbelief. An investigation into the eight-month period leading up to his death discovered that his mother doused him with pepper spray, locked him in a closet with a sock forced in his mouth, and forced him to eat his own vomit. Suddenly, Pearl wanted custody back in October 2012. Bom declined to comment for this article. The department was using it on parents who werent eligible instead of only low risk cases as intended. He had a masters degree from the University of Southern Californias prestigious School of Social Work, and was known as a fastidious micromanager who marked up his subordinates notes with questions and correctionsall of which makes his handling of Gabriels case even more baffling. Rodriguez returned her call the following day andallegedly said was assigned to the case and would investigate. Dixons boss, Michael Bailey, allegedly told her not to report the abuse and later, supervisors told her not to cooperate with police regarding his death. Ezequiel, who was now 16, had a faint mustache and a face shaped like Gabriels. Business . The many prior hotline calls gave them five points. Fernandez is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. All Information about Stefanie Rodriguez He said he wouldnt hesitate to remove a child if he knew there to be true danger, but he also acknowledged that he recognized such situations less often than others did. It became his mantra. Username. But he told me hed sent the information only to be thorough; hed never expected anything to come of it. stefanie rodriguez social worker nownyproduktion mlnlycke. The case became the subject of a PBS documentary, and media attention made Logan a symbol of child-protective services overreach. Your email address will not be published. I learned early on that if Im gonna be any good to my clients, I have to take care of myself, Merritt said. Anchor | Reporter . (During this period, foster care was in such short supply that DCFS routinely used a conference room to house children overnight.) The young boy had been regularly abused by both parties until one day, he was beaten to the brink of death. However, Lomeli is expected to dismiss the charges at 8:30 a.m Thursday. At a preliminary hearing to decide whether the case should go before a jury, the defense attorneys hammered at one question: Why were these four workers the only ones being punished? 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. 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. His mom? they asked, their faces filled with the deepest horror shed ever seen in children so young. A motion to rehear the appeals court decision was denied in January 2020 and the criminal case against these four is not progressing further. Other marks were scattered on his face, neck, and left ear. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Others had witnessed the abuse, too. I thought Gabriel would benefit. So she agreed to accept his case rather than urging Rodriguez to take it to courta decision that has haunted her ever since. Following Gabriels death in 2013, Rodriguez, Clement, Bom and Merritt were fired from their positions at DCFS following an international investigation after Gabriels death in 2013. The four also had criminal charges filed against them. Martinez asked Maricela Corona, the clerk Pearl had spoken to, if she planned to report child abuse. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Justice Francis Rothschild wrote: We conclude that the petitioners never had the requisite duty to control the abusers and did not have care or custody of Gabriel for purposes of Penal Code section 273a, subdivision (a). Any savings could be spent on programs aimed at keeping families intact. Cat feces were forced in his mouth and down his throat. Whoops! Los Angeles County social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, Patricia Clement, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt, were charged with two felony counts in relation to the death of Fernandez on April 7,. But Browning, who left the department in 2017, acknowledged over email that these reforms could not guarantee that the department wouldnt see another death like Gabriels. Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 34, and Patricia Clement, 69, were charged along with two supervisors, Kevin Bom, 40, and Gregory Merritt, 64, with one felony count each of child abuse and . Rodriguez never went to the school or talked to the neighbors. On the rare occasion he went outside during recess, he stood alone on the playground and kicked a wall. Thats why its so crushing to see him treated this way, she said. They alleged the officials failed to take appropriate steps to protect the boy. This seemed like the perfect case for us, Starr told me. efore caseworkers can close an investigation, the agency requires them to use a software program called Structured Decision Making to score a childs risk of being abused or neglected. 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. During Red Ribbon Week, when teachers talk to children about staying drug-free, Gabriel mimicked snorting cocaine and knew it was a drug. Merritt couldnt remember much about Gabriel, one of about 180 children whose cases he had been overseeing. 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. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Have a seat. Then he admonished her, We dont investigate. Scalp, Face, Neck, Ears and Shoulder Injuries Documented at Trial (diagam) | Autopsy Injury Diagram (drawing). Instead, she punished him by sending him to school in girls clothing the next daya tiny pink shirt and tight polka-dot leggings. Gabriel at School Just Before Mother's Day. Money Confidential is a podcast that dives into all aspects of money with expert Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez. Unlike her colleagues, Starr never faced any administrative consequences or criminal charges. HBO 2020 release schedule: Whats new on HBO in March 2020? Martinez called his own supervisor and was told the same: Thats not your job. The District Attorneys Office was unable to respond to an earlier request for information, and it was not immediately clear whether prosecutors intend to appeal the appellate court decision or refile the case. News coverage of child fatalities has often been a catalyst for a renewed focus on safety: When a child dies at the hands of a guardian, an outraged public will demand more proactive interventions to prevent such a tragedy. On April 26th, 2013 a security guard at the local welfare office, Arturo Martinez, noticed that Gabriel needed urgent help. Theres hardly a night I dont dream about the department, she told me. They asked the lawyer representing the L.A. County District Attorney about the term "duty," and the liability of workers. Let me stop you there. 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. The program allowed children to remain in the home while the family worked to resolve their issues. Gabriels attendance was sporadic. Then the department moved on.. It was very clear that this was no accidental fall. Lots of people spank their kids, after all. However, his girlfriend, now wife, Stephanie Sanger, announced their marriage in a post on her Facebook page, which has since been deleted. As Children'S Social Worker at Los Angeles County, STEFANIE A RODRIGUEZ made $49,663 in total compensation. Pearl Fernandez had a history of mental-health problems, which gave the family two points. Arturo Martinez, a security guard at the welfare office had also noticed Gabriels injuries and also tried to report his concerns. First Call Made Six Months Before Gabriel's Death 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. In 2016, Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement, two former LA County social workers, as well as two supervisors, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt, were charged with one felony count each of child abuse and falsifying public records. She emailed the school psychologist, hoping that Gabriel might be able to receive counseling. The caseworker I shadowed was one of the new arrivals; she held the same job Stefanie Rodriguez had once had. On this week's Money Confidential, we help you determine where your money should go. Merritt told me that despite Clements weaknesses, he had to rely on her to be his eyes and ears, so he signed off on her recommendation without reading the file. Pearl admitted to hitting him with the belt. Gabriel Fernandez: Who is Michael Lemos Carranza? Payments for Straight and Premium Overtime. Please exercise caution when reading this, as there are accounts of very brutal abuse amounting to torture and a child victim. Stefanie is related to Victor Rodriquez and Sylvia Rodriguez as well as 1 additional person. His hair cut was awful and sloppy, and chunks of his scalp had scabbed over. Is it normal for you to bleed?. The results came back negative. Patricia Clement and Stefanie Rodriguez were discovered to be two of the social workers who had neglected their responsibility. Stefanie Rico, Registered Social Worker, Toronto, ON, M4V, (647) 492-8197, Stefanie works with youth and adults experiencing diverse mental health needs, most often supporting individuals in the . With his mother present, Gabriel told Rodriguez the bruises on his face came from a fall he had playing with his brother and dissenter. He called the non-emergency line to report. In a gruesome twist, Logan was placed in the custody of a former caseworker, who disciplined her by gagging her with duct tape and leaving her in the basement, where she died. Mistakes were inevitable when department leaders and county politicians gave workers so little support, she said. Stefanie's work & advice has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Cosmopolitan, Glamour and Oprah Magazine. At recess someone lent him a baggy boys shirt to cover himself. Corona said she wanted to help but was only filling in. View Stefanie Rodriguez results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Hed whisper in Gabriels ear to fall to the ground quickly when he hit him. About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Gabriel's mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, was sentenced to life in prison, while her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was sentenced to death. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez was sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading to first-degree murder and admitting the torture allegation. MyNewsLA.com wont sell your information and you can unsubscribe at any time. Over the years, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services has taken significant steps to mitigate risk and improve our capacity countywide in order to best serve vulnerable children and families and as a department we remain committed to ensuring that reform continues. Youll be able to move out. The two of them paused for a moment, imagining what that might be like. The pendulum swung, and the United States saw a nearly 25 percent drop in the number of children in foster care from 2002 to 2012. The mother and her boyfriend were convicted of the torture murder. Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW-R, MSW Location. A familys prior history is one of the most reliable measures of the need for future intervention, and in the past 10 years, at least four hotline calls had been made alleging that Pearl Fernandez was neglecting or abusing her children. Such shallow inquiries were routine across Los Angeles County. This book is designed for the courses in solid state physics for B.Sc. Toggle primary navigation. Director Brian Knappenberger documents the investigation into the months of abuse preceding his murder as well as the trial against his mother and her boyfriend. She didnt want to tell him everything would be okaythat felt like it might not be true. That changed in 2001, with the case of Logan Marr, a 5-year-old girl from Maine whod been removed from her home by the states grossly interventionist child-protective-services agency. t Summerwind Elementary, the weeks dragged on. Gabriel was either tardy or absent a lot. Stefanie Rodriguez. In that time, at least 143 children in Los Angeles County have died from abuse or neglect after having some prior history with DCFS.. Gabriel Fernandez: Is Pearl Fernandez still in prison? Jennifer Garcia began calling social workers in 2012. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Corona then gave Martinez the familys name and contact information, telling Martinez to save this kid. He called DCFS twice, but could not navigate the automated system. The trials of Gabriel Fernandez also points to the failings of the Los Angeles Child Services and the four social works in charge of the Gabriel case. Some of Merritts colleagues were so ashamed of the departments reputation that they avoided telling people what they did for a living. One was addressed to his mother: I love you so much that I will die. His brother Ezequiel discovered these notes days later, and Pearl discussed them with the therapist assigned to the family, Carmen Le Norgant, on the night of February 27. In her report, Rodriguez described the lesion on his lip as an open blister.. At the heart of the case is a question of accountability: Was their failure to protect Gabriel an isolated onethe fault of four employees so careless and neglectful that they allowed a child to suffer despite a series of glaring warning signs? Rodriguez made no entry of this call. 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. Aguirre received the death sentence. ), When Clement paid a third and final visit, on March 6, Pearl said she didnt want to have any further involvement with the agencyand Clement accepted her decision. According to the next worker assigned to Gabriels case, Patricia Clement claimed that new abuse allegations were already being dealt with and that she was going to close the case because there were no concerns at the moment. 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