Gabriels grandmother objected, telling deputies that Pearl neglected and abused her children. He died. Well send you the latest headlines every morning and every weekday afternoon. Murder 24/7: Who narrates murder 24/7 on BBC2? 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. She was convicted of using a weapon in a reckless manner and sentenced to two weeks in a Texas jail. The girl later said that her mother asked her to help soak up blood from the floor. be individuals with an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), ACSW (Associate Clinical Social Workers), MSW (Master of Social Work), MFTs (Marriage and Family Therapist) and Licensed MFTs who practice therapy, case management and/or provide clinical assessments/treatment plans in community-based organizations, Regional Centers and hospitals . . The card was shaped like a house and said Open the door to see who loves you. He pasted his picture inside. Starr said that Stefanie Rodriguez pleaded with her to take Gabriels case. Prosecutors argued that only Merritt and Clement asserted that they were not officers, but the panel chose to apply the same standard to all four defendants, arguing that there was no reason to apply the law differently. His new address meant a new school, too. They alleged the officials failed to take appropriate steps to protect the boy. In 2018, after Pearl and Isauros sentencing, prosecutors opened an investigation into the four social workers who had been assigned to Gabriels case. Other Benefits, Short Disability Insurance and Dependent & Health Care Spending Accounts. 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. An autopsy report showed bruises, fractures, and cuts all over his body including his groin as well as BB's embedded in his body. But the program worried Philip Browning, whod become the head of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services in 2011. 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. It became his mantra. But in October, after classes were already under way, word came that the school districts planning had once again failed to keep pace with Palmdales population boom. Former colleagues told me he now mows lawns. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. On January 29, 2013 Rodriguez made a final visit to Fernandezs home. "We have, in effect, encouraged DCFS and its social workers to cover their tracks if they stumble on the cracks in the system.". Its destroyed a lot of lives. Stefanie Rodriguez Found 287 people in California, New York and 39 other states View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. Their case marks one of the few times social worked have been charged in a child abuse case in the US. All rights reserved. Pearl Fernandez admitted that shed hit him with the belt. Those injuries included hits to the face, punches, and even bullets by a BB gun. Name. You survived. On file we have 129 email addresses and 83 phone numbers associated with Stefanie in area codes such as 813, 347, 718, 281, 256, and 32 other area codes. All four of the caseworkers had been fired. The question today is whether the felony counts against four social workers will be dismissed, reduced or stand. SOURCES: The Atlantic | LA Times 1 | LA times 2 | LA Times 3 | LA Daily News | Oprah Magazine | NBC LA | ABC | Bom et al. Whereas in the past, agencies had received an allocation based on the number of children who were in foster care, Los Angeles and certain other jurisdictions now received waivers that allowed them to keep the same level of funding even if foster-care rolls dropped. We processed them for discharge, he said. In that time, at least 143 children in Los Angeles County have died from abuse or neglect after having some prior history with DCFS.. He had internal injuries, including a lacerated liver. Click images at your own discretion. Stephanie Rodriguez Social worker Greater Sacramento 7 followers 7 connections Join to view profile Department of Child, Family, and Adult Services Sonoma State University Experience Human. 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. Shed spent the summer preparing to teach fourth grade at Palm Tree Elementary, in the high-desert town of Palmdale, north of Los Angeles. The majority of children killed by their guardians are 3 or younger. Stephanie Rodriguez. His older brother Ezequiel would try to sneak bananas through the padlocked door. She visited again two weeks later, and wrote that Pearl Fernandez described herself as the victim of a mother who never showed any real love or positive feelings about her. Clement noted that Pearls boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was a very pleasant person. Despite Gabriels steady absences, Clement wrote: The children are attending school regularly and doing well., Soon after Clements first visit, Gabriel wrote several notes saying that he wanted to kill himself. Payments of Excess and Unused Leave Time at Termination. Supporters of Gabriel attended the hearing. 2017 toyota corolla wheel torque specs stefanie rodriguez social worker now Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement, as well as their supervisors, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt, were each charged with one felony count of child abuse and one felony. Instead, she asked Gabriel whether he really wanted to do that days assignment: making a Mothers Day card. Rodriguez visited the familys apartment, but again Gabriel recanted. Merritt was on antidepressants, and he rarely left the house. Debates over child-protective services often scramble traditional political divisions, and Casey Family Programs, which has championed a number of progressive causes, had powerful political allies in religious conservatives, who pushed George W. Bushs administration to limit government intrusion on parental authority. Business . Hed met his wife, Bonnie, there, and was considered one of the agencys best supervisors. Garcia asked what had happened. Her 8-year-old son Gabriel fell and hit his head on a dresser, and now he wasn't breathing. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. As he read on, Merritt learned that Gabriel had written suicide notes. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Gabriel has a black eye, there were lumps on the back of his head, and his skin was almost yellow. Partner with a local real estate agent to find the home or apartment that's right for you Stefanie Rodriguez, Real Estate Agent - Compass Aguirre pleaded not guilty, however, the jury found him guilty and recommended he be sentenced to death. I dont believe you, Gabriel, she said, noting that this was the first time hed lied to her. Usually, promoting a case meant petitioning a judge to mandate services such as rent stipends or anger-management classes for parents, or seeking a judges approval to place the child in foster care. 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. We further conclude that the petitioners were not officers within the meaning of Government Code section 6200, wrote Justice Francis Rothschild. In January 2013, Rodriguez visited the family home after Ms Garcia reported Gabriel had been shot in the face with BB gun. She said she had been assigned to investigate and told Garcia to call her directly if she noticed anything suspicious in the future. Would it be fair to say that you dont want to remember? the prosecutor, Jon Hatami, asked at one point. Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 35 and Patricia Clement, 69, and supervisors Kevin Bom, 41, and Gregory Merritt, 64, had each been charged with one felony count of child abuse and one felony count of falsifying public records. Management had to impose a ban on transfers out just to keep the branch staffed. He was hungry for Garcias attention and praise and would stay behind at recess to help her collate and staple papers. We further conclude that the petitioners were not officers within the meaning of Government Code section 6200. Find Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok profiles, images and more on IDCrawl - free people search website. A public employee's salary relates to a particular person, but it is a matter of public interest and not primarily a matter of the individual's private business. Garcia threw it in the trash in disgust and frustration. stefanie rodriguez social worker now. But we spoke again later that day. In 2007 a complaint against Pearl claimed she didnt feed one of her daughters and threatened to break her jaw if she cried. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. In 2010, a department study showed that the evidence caseworkers gathered was often insufficient to accurately judge a situation. If the case proceeds to trial and the defendants are convicted, they could face over 10 years in prison. 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. Administrators admit that prioritizing one of these goals over the other is a false choicetheyre supposed to be able to protect children in danger without unnecessarily splitting up families. 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. Arturo Martinez, a security guard at the welfare office had also noticed Gabriels injuries and also tried to report his concerns. The information disclosed includes compensations paid to employees of Los Angeles County in the form of earnings and fringe benefits. Martinez approached the window where Pearl had been talking with a clerk, Maricela Corona, to ask whether she was going to report Pearl to the authorities. By 1967, all 50 states had such laws, and the list of professionals required to report abuse expanded to include teachers, coaches, counselors, and others. 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. The four had been held to answer charges of felony abuse in a preliminary hearing, but in the appeal their attorneys argued that there was insufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing. But Merritt was proud of his work, especially his efforts to keep together families that might otherwise be separated. This time she reached her, and pressed her about what she was doing: How did Pearl Fernandez explain the injuries? When he looked at Gabriel, he saw cigarette burns all over the boys head and neck. Later investigations revealed Rodriguez had never received information which showed Pearl Rodriguez had abused and neglected her other children. You can unsubscribe at any time. In January, a three-justice panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal issued an opinion directing a lower court to dismiss the charges against the social workers. Then he turned back to his computerbecause, he says, life goes on, and I had work to do. Hed concluded long ago that some of the children who depended on the department would inevitably be injured, if not killed. Prosecutors say that the four minimized evidence of abuse and violated multiple policies, reporting that safety programs at Gabriel's home were working at the time abuse was escalating. Stefanie Rodriguez, 32, Patricia Clement, 66, Kevin Bom, 37, and Gregory Merritt, 61, were fired from their jobs following an internal investigation into the May 24, 2013, death of Gabriel. With his mother present, Gabriel told Rodriguez the bruises on his face came from a fall he had playing with his brother and dissenter. One day in late October, about two weeks after hed started at school, Gabriel tugged on her side in the middle of class. Evidence at trial indicated months of beatings and torture. 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. 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.. Until, of course, another one did. If. 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. Pearl admitted to hitting him with the belt. Authorities later determined that his mother and her boyfriend had tortured him for at least five days. Gabriel Fernandez: What happened to Gabriel Fernandezs parents? Gabriel died in May 2013 and his mother and her boyfriend were later convicted of torturing and murdering him. Doctors took him off life support on May 24, 2013. He rarely went outside during recess, and when he did, Garcia sometimes saw him alone on the playground, kicking a wall. She said she had been assigned to investigate and told Garcia to call her directly if she noticed. 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. When Fernandez called 911 on May 22, 2013 to report her son was not breathing, she told sheriff's deputies who responded that Gabriel had fallen and hit his head on a dresser. The provider is registered as an individual and her NPI . Is it normal for moms to hit their kids? he asked. He died two days later. Money Confidential is a podcast that dives into all aspects of money with expert Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez. he temperature outside was already in the 80s on the morning last fall when Ezequiel and Virginia testified in Isauro Aguirres murder trial. The two 29-year-old women locked eyes in uneasy silence. The position title is CHILDREN'S SOCIAL WORKER I. 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. After Jennifer Garcia called the hotline, it fell to Rodriguez to investigate and assess Gabriels safety. Learn more about Muck Rack . 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. Apply via Dice today! Towards the end of January, when Gabriel came to class, there was no more laughing. 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 falsifying public records. 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. Required fields are marked *. But the pressures of the job, she said, pushed her out anywayshe went on extended medical leave and eventually agreed to retire. View our online Press Pack. Lomeli called the pair nothing short of evil and worse than animalistic because even animals know how to take care of their young.. She recalls Rodriguez saying that Pearl Fernandez had once spanked Gabriel harshly but did not present an immediate safety threat, and that both Pearl and Gabriel had issues. 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