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 . As long as human beings are involved in the child welfare program there are possibilities for mistakes to occur, he wrote. He was 8 years old, and the signs of abuse were obvious. After school, Garcia made yet another call to Rodriguez. Instead, Rodriguez walked a few cubicles away to consult with a caseworker named Darlene Starr in the Family Preservation unit, a small team led by Greg Merritt. See full bio More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro Known For Phil the Alien Young Madame Madame 2004 Hide all | | Edit Filmography Hide Actress (1 credit) 2004 Phil the Alien White House Farm ending: Where are they now? Stefanie Rodriguez's lawyer states that there were three subsequent supervisors, two subsequent social workers, one subsequent emergency response worker, two other mental health professionals, and two law enforcement officers all of whom are mandatory reporters as well. The Second District California Appellate Court heard arguments from lawyers. About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. 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. Stefanie Rodriguez Found 287 people in California, New York and 39 other states View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. Due to the amount of injuries to his body, the autopsy took two days. He lied because whenever a social worker would visit his punishments would increase. 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. Garcia felt reassured; the agency seemed to be taking the matter seriously. Martinez told Pearl to quiet down. County policy requires workers in Merritts position to read the entire file before approving a closure, but the departments manual ran to 6,000 pages. His neck had been stripped of a layer of skin. Youd see people in the office that made you wonder, Wow, how did they get through the gates? Merritt told me. If. The program is rudimentary and has been criticized for miscalculating risk, but an internal study showed that it is significantly more reliable than caseworkers own determinations. Silver Spring, MD. Each employee's information disclosed include the full name, department, position title, annual earnings and benefits, etc. Gabriels eyes seemed to ask Martinez for help. (This policy was changed in 2011, allowing social workers to use their professional judgment to determine how many witnesses were necessary.). 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. ( Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hed met his wife, Bonnie, there, and was considered one of the agencys best supervisors. Her 8-year-old son Gabriel fell and hit his head on a dresser, and now he wasn't breathing. 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 . When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Browning was also troubled that many of the parenting classes and counseling services the department relied on to prevent abuse had little evidence to support their efficacy. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. A motion to appeal the 2nd District Court of Appeals decision was denied in January 2020. Meet the model and actress, Jeremy Bamber: Killer serving life sentence on road with ironic name. Prosecutors argued the four minimised evidence of abuse and violated multiple policies. As days passed, and then weeks, Gabriels situation only seemed to worsen. Netflix docu-series The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez tells the story of how he was tortured, and raised questions about the social system that was meant to protect him. 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. On May 22nd, 2013 paramedics rushed Gabriel to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles but doctors pronounced him braindead the same day. 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. All rights reserved. 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. Learn More{{/message}}. He came to school with scratches, a split lip, and a swollen bruised face. Pearl ordered her 11-year-old daughter to help them clean blood off the floor. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Gabriel's mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, was sentenced to life in prison, while her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was sentenced to death. The next year, California passed the first state law mandating that doctors report suspected child abuse and neglect. You can unsubscribe at any time. She saw the anger swell inside him. Rodriguez and Bom could have checked a box on a form to mark the case as high priority, but they left it blank. By then, she and Bom had already decided to end the investigation; they saw no signs of danger or abuse. 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. Yet, nothing appeared to resolve the home abuse. Found insideWith the introduction of new sections and additional information, the fourth edition should prove highly useful for the students. Around this time, Gabriel came to class looking even worse than he ever had before. But the program worried Philip Browning, whod become the head of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services in 2011. She returned a few minutes later, saying she had been ordered not to get involved. Select this result to view Stefanie Denise Rodriquez's phone number, address, and more. To fill it, the department required new recruits to start thereincluding Stefanie Rodriguez, who sat in a cubicle within earshot of Merritt. If you spent time with Pat, you just knew.. MORE: Palmdale woman, boyfriend sentenced in 8-year-old's torture killing. If Merritt and his colleagues had dug deeper, or simply paid closer attention to what they already knew, they might have uncovered the familys secret: that Gabriel spent days and nights with a sock in his mouth, shoelaces knotted around his hands, a bandanna shrouding his face, handcuffs locking his ankles, trapped inside a cabinet in his mothers bedroom. When the other children turned to look at him, they laughed and pointed at what they saw: Someone had haphazardly taken chunks of hair from his head, and scabs had formed on his scalp. The internal investigation also found that Stephanie never visited Gabriels school, talked to the neighbours or interview Gabriel and his siblings alone. Visit the Career Advice Hub to see tips on interviewing and resume writing. She called the hospital, asking if she could visit. 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. This time, the students didnt laugh. The mother and her boyfriend were convicted of the torture murder. Payments of Excess and Unused Leave Time at Termination. Aguirre pleaded not guilty, however, the jury found him guilty and recommended he be sentenced to death. In just a few days, she would be teaching first grade in Room 5 at Summerwind Elementary, four miles away. The program allowed children to remain in the home while the family worked to resolve their issues. Both were soon fired from the department, as were their supervisors, Gregory Merritt and Kevin Bom. During Red Ribbon Week, when teachers talk to children about staying drug-free, Gabriel mimicked snorting cocaine and knew it was a drug. Former colleagues told me he now mows lawns. There were cigarette burns on his neck, feet, and genitals and ligature marks on both ankles. In June 2018, Lomeli sentenced Isauro Aguirre to death for the boys first-degree murder and a special circumstance allegation of murder involving torture. Speaking to The Atlantic, Rodriguez explained that during the time she supervised Gabriels welfare, other children in her caseload seemed to her to be in equal or greater danger.. As a general rule, caseworkers worry most about children who arent seen by people outside the home. Looking for Stefanie Rodriguez online? One week before his death, Gabriels school, Summerwind Elementary, asked a sheriffs deputy to investigate, but he received the wrong address. Stefanie Rodriguez, 34; Patricia Clement, 69; Kevin Bom, 40; and Gregory Merritt, 64, were charged with child abuse and falsifying public records. 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. The other children were silent. First responders noted that every single inch of his body had signs of abuse. With his mother present, Gabriel told Rodriguez the bruises on his face came from a fall he had playing with his brother and dissenter. Please reload the page and try again. Case dismissed against social workers charged in death of . Then the department moved on.. We further conclude that the petitioners were not officers within the meaning of Government Code section 6200, wrote Justice Francis Rothschild. Garcia called Rodriguez yet again. But a senior child-abuse prosecutor told me that if the victim is a child, a quick log entry will suffice. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. 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. Name. But she, too, said she didnt think about Gabriels casethat was in the past.. Ultimately, the social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 34, and Patricia Clement, 69, and two supervisors, Kevin Bom, 40, and Gregory Merritt, 64, all faced charges in connection with the death of Gabriel, with prosecutors alleging they minimized evidence of Gabriel's abuse. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. DON'T MISSGabriel Fernandez: Who is Michael Lemos Carranza? Host Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez turned to Jill Schlesinger, CFP, a business analyst for CBS News, for advice. Doctors took him off life support on May 24, 2013. Gabriel told her he had fallen off his bike and begged her not to send him home early. vs. LA County, Scalp, Face, Neck, Ears and Shoulder Injuries Documented at Trial (diagam). But Judge Mary Lou Villar was not persuaded. Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement and supervisors Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt are charged with felony child abuse and falsifying public records in the 2013 beating and torture. Palmdale consistently ranked last on the list of places agency employees wanted to be. Buy, sell, and rent smarter with Stefanie Rodriguez at Compass. Baghdad Central: How does the series differ from the original book? During the trial, it was revealed that Gabriel had been starved, kept in handcuffs, shot with BB guns, doused with pepper spray, forced to eat his own vomit and locked in a cabinet with a sock stuffed in his mouth to muffle his screams. The provider is registered as an individual and her NPI . Two social workers, Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement, as well as two of their supervisors, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt, were each charged with one felony count of child abuse and . Like, You aint got nothing else to do? he told me. There is, therefore, no probable cause to hold them on charges of violating those laws and the trial court should have granted the motions to dismiss, the opinion continued. His testimony lasted hours; he was unable to recall many details and had to constantly refer to transcripts of prior testimony. Back in her classroom, Garcia saw the Mothers Day card on Gabriels desk. 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. His loyalties were with his colleagues in the branch office, the ones who would gather for after-hours parties known as howls, where theyd hoot and holler, with bonfires and country musica release valve for the stresses of a difficult job. abriel was often tardy or absent, and when he did make it to school, hed kick other studentsGarcia was constantly having to move his seat. Casey and the Bush administration advocated for the Department of Health and Human Services to change the way child-protective-services agencies were funded. You do it like this, he said, holding his nostril as if he were snorting a line. Stephanie joined the Alliance in 2015. In late April, Gabriel appeared in class looking worse than Garcia had ever seen him. After all, Kate was mysteriously absent from the season three finale fast-forward scene and Toby seemed hesitant . Other teachers told her that Summerwind was one of the districts nicest schools, but when Garcia looked around at the peeling paint and crumbling stucco, she thought, If this is the best weve got, were really in trouble. Unlike her colleagues, Starr never faced any administrative consequences or criminal charges. 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. Again, information traveled in one direction: Rodriguez wouldnt tell Garcia what she was doing to protect Gabriel, or whether she planned to remove him from his home. They could have communicated with one another better, or pulled up the case history in the computer system. County Payment of Employees' Retirement Contributions. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Or was it a systemic one, the result of a department so ill-equipped to safeguard children that tragedies were bound to happen? 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. Bom had managed to start a new career as a custody evaluator in divorce cases, but he lost that job after the criminal charges were filed. Advocates for family preservation have at times lamented that they lacked the kind of horror stories that could galvanize support for their position. BB pellets pockmarked his skin. He tended to see hope where others saw a lost cause. 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. The disclosed employee information includes last name, first name, middle initial name, position title, department, fiscal year, earnings and benfits. He walked into class with his head down. Stanley and her colleagues often puzzled over the fact that Clement, 68, had been a Catholic nun. The Auditor-Controller discloses information about compensations paid to employees of Los Angeles County in the form of earnings and fringe benefits. It was a calling. We were on a desert island, and we were just sinking, sinking, sinking., Like Merritt, Starr is a devout Christian. Payments for Straight and Premium Overtime. The District Attorney may appeal this decision. He told her his mom hit him punched him in the face. Garcia called Rodriguez again. She was a 27-year-old newcomer with a bachelors degree in psychology and no academic credentials in social work. 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