Knappenberger says that as he further investigated the story, he came to believe the workers had made clear mistakes., The social workers took a lot of heat. [citation needed] However, his execution has yet to be set in accordance with the moratorium on capital punishment issued by California governor Gavin Newsom. Evil Genius tells the story of the pizza bomber heist and the murder of Brian Wells in 2003. Gabriel started coming into school with worse injuries, including scabs on his scalp and bruises on his face from BB gun pellets. He was single. In California, Ezequiel Fernandez took birth in the year 2003 (age 16 years old, as in 2019). This documentary examines the 2011 murder of 12-year-old Garrett Phillips and the subsequent trial of soccer coach and ex-boyfriend of Garrett's mother, Tandy Cyrus. Gabriel Fernandez was a dog lover and had a baby Chihuahua. At one point social workers even ordered Gabriel to stop lying, allowing his abusers to continue the torture until the horrific end. Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old Latino boy, died Friday, May 24, after he was beaten in the 200 block of East Avenue Q-10 in Palmdale, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. [24], Jury deliberation began on November 14, 2017, and a verdict was reached the next afternoon. GABRIEL Fernandez would have been 16-years-old on February 20, 2021. How old is Gabriel Fernandez? I'm sorry to my children, and I want them to know that I love them. When his dead body found it was all swollen and there were burn marks on his body. Pearl Fernandez Wiki [Gabriel Fernandez's Mother] Age, Biography, Family. R'Bonney Nola Gabriel (English: / r b n i e b r i l / AR-bn-ee GAY-bree-l; Tagalog: [rbn gbjl]; born March 20, 1994) is an American fashion designer, model, and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 2022, becoming the ninth delegate from the United States to win the title, as well as the oldest entrant to be crowned, surpassing Andrea Meza of Mexico. Additionally, this documentary contains details of Gabriel Fernandez's murder and the subsequent media and local government responses. After joining his mother and Aguirre, Gabriel arrived at a new school. Then, in 2012, Pearl Fernandez was granted child custody of Gabriel in order to get welfare benefits, according to . But in the end, while Aguirre was sentenced to death, and Fernandez received life in prison without the possibility of parole, the social workers escaped punishment. And as detailed in Netflixs documentary The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez, he was consistently let down by the system when he most needed help. Both her and Isauro Aguirre did that. Evidence-wise, Pearl Fernandez tortured and killed Gabriel, he said. Magazines, Capture a Year of Painand Resiliencein Ukraine, Or create a free account to access more articles, The Heartbreaking Story Behind Netflix's Documentary Series. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted behind closed doors Tuesday to approve a settlement with the family of Gabriel Fernandez, the 8-year-old Palmdale boy who was beaten to death, alle When prosecutors went to medical hub in Lancaster, Calif. (part of the Antelope Valley), they found it had been closed due to insufficient funding, the docu-series says. The Trails of Gabriel Fernandezs documentary details directed by Brian Knappenberger is a subsequent response by the media and local government. However, she never wanted Gabriel in the first place and even left the hospital after he was born. Unsurprisingly, prosecutors sought the death penalty for Gabriels mother and her boyfriend. [27], The social workers were accused of neglecting Fernandez and falsifying public records. Born on February 20, 2005, in Palmdale, California, Gabriel Fernandez had a difficult family life from the start. When he was arrested after robbing the bank, the bomb went off and killed Wells. At the age of nine, Fernandez began using methamphetamine and drinking . The abuse was substantial they fed him cat litter, put a bandanna and sock in his mouth, knocked out his teeth with a bat, shot him in the face with a BB gun, and pepper sprayed him for fun while he laid in the bath tub. It should never take the death of a child to address weaknesses and make investments in improvements for child protection, DCFS said. [20] In March/April 2021, Aguirre was transferred to Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. For Knappenberger, the story began coming together after he received permission to film Aguirres murder trial and had a chance to hear firsthand testimony from witnesses about how Gabriel was abused. She shall celebrate her being in hell, so her boyfriend. When The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez premiered on Netflix on February 26, viewers weren't prepared for this roller-coaster . [6] According to prosecutors, Aguirre was allegedly motivated to abuse Fernandez because he believed Fernandez was gay. Arnold Contreras is the father in all cases. Gabriel's parents are Pearl Fernandez and Arnold Contreras. At the center of the series is Gabriel Fernandez, an eight-year-old boy who died in May 2013 after being severely abused and tortured by his mother and her boyfriend, both of whom were arrested and convicted for his death. 4. By the time of his death eight years later, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had received 60 complaints about his mother's household. Garcia, who appears throughout the six-part series, says that a couple weeks after he started in her classroom, Gabriel asked her, Is it normal for moms to hit their kids? When she pressed him, Gabriel asked if it was normal to be hit with a belt buckle. Heartbreaking! In the end, he died from this torture, and his older . It also brings into the light the weakness of law and order in the USA where a child got tortured to death by his own mother. . An Update On What's Happened To Gabriel Fernandez's Mom Since The Documentary", "Isauro Aguirre Wiki: Facts about Pearl Fernandez's Boyfriend Who Abused Gabriel Fernandez", "Isauro Aguirre, Gabriel Fernandez's Murderer: 5 Fast Facts", "Who Is Isauro Aguirre, The Man Who Murdered 8-Year-Old Gabriel Fernandez? However, there was so much blood, that she soon ran out of the color and had to switch to yellow stickers. About Pearl Sinthia Fernandez; Age: 39 Years: Birth: August 29, 1983: Gender: Female: Children: Gabriel Fernandez, Virginia, Ezequiel C: Parents: Robert Fernandez, Sandra Fernandez: Nationality: American: CDCR Number: . Clinical psychologist Deborah S. Miora stated that Fernandez is "virtually unable to use thoughts to guide her behavior and control her emotional reactions. In the months preceding his death, Fernandez showed his injuries or reported the abuse to a security guard, family members, and a teacher, which led to several calls to social services to no avail. Ezequiel Fernandez's father - Arnold Contreras His father's name is Arnold Contreras and mother's name is Pearl Fernandez. [2][3] Shortly after birth, Gabriel was put in the custody of his great-uncle on his mother's side, Michael Lemos Carranza, and his partner David Martinez. A spokesperson for DCFS said that they did indeed provide services to the family from May 2014 to December 2014 and their last referral was in 2016. Judge Angrily Denounces Gabriels Mother During Sentencing. Heres what to know about the true story behind the series, out on Netflix on Feb. 26. [17] Aguirre repeated two grades in school and ultimately dropped out, implying a possible learning disability. She also commented that throughout his three-year employment he was patient and loving, and would commonly change the diapers of elderly residents at the facility. He lived with his grandparents until 2012, when his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, regained physical custody of him[4] despite concerns for his welfare expressed by the family. As the documentary depicts, Gabriel lived with an uncle and his partner for a time, and also lived with his grandparents before going to live with his mother. The Staircase follows the trial of Michael Peterson after he reported in December 2001 that his wife had fallen down the stairs and died. While he was in the household of Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre for six months, Gabriel was systematically abused and tortured. There were clear problems with the system they were operating in.. Between 2005 and 2012, sixty complaints were filed against Pearl Fernandez and Aguirre to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. The show tells the harrowing tale of an eight-year-old Californian boy who endured horrifying abuse at the hands of his mother and her live-in boyfriend in 2013. Garcia reported the exchange to the Los Angeles County child abuse hotline and the case ended up with a social worker, Stefanie Rodriguez. Additionally, the details of Gabriels torture and death are hard to bear and viewers may struggle with certain parts of the mini-series. Since joining The Times in 2020, Seidman has served on the breaking news and utility desks, wheres she written about Indigenous communities, wildfires threatening giant trees and fishing the L.A. River. Show details torture inflicted on Fernandez by his mother and her boyfriend, and the failure of protective services. She was also a victim of gang rape and rape by an uncle at an early age. How do we protect them? Knappenberger asks. The doc explores looks into the years of abuse Gypsy suffered at the hands of her mother, who suffered from Munchausen by proxy. Executive director of the retirement home and former boss of Aguirre, Susan Weisbarth, described him as a "quiet, down to earth nice person, always willing to help." ", "Grandfather Testifies About Having to Give Boy's Custody Back to His Accused Killers", "The Heartbreaking Story Behind Netflix's Documentary Series 'The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez', "Everything to Know About Gabriel Fernandez's Tragic Abuse Case Examined in Netflix Docuseries", "After 2 suspected homophobic killings, audit finds broader issues with L.A. child welfare", "Boy's alleged abuse described in graphic grand jury testimony", "Malnourished boy found dead in Echo Park closet was subject of earlier child abuse reports, LAPD says", "What happened to Gabriel Fernandez's grandparents? Gabriel Fernandez, 8, of Palmdale, Calif., died after years of abuse from his mother and her boyfriend. He died on May 24, 2013. [28] The first call came in from his teacher (Jennifer Garcia). Also Read: 'Trials of Gabriel Fernandez' Director Says Production Had Therapist on Call, 5. His mother, Pearl . Critics have noted that obsession over true crime stories can lead to a risk of sensationalism of violence, with victims stories exploited for entertainment. Questionnaires were given to prospective jurors, and they were informed that the trial could last as long as six weeks. 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, died following a fatal beating by his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, two days before on May 22. . Twenty-nine days before Fernandez's death, Arturo Miranda Martinez, a security guard at a Los Angeles County Welfare Office, noticed extensive injuries on Fernandez's body, which prompted him to call 9-1-1, risking his job to report the injuries to sheriffs. Gabriel Fernandez had dark brown eyes and while he was at the time of death he was 4 feet 1 inch tall. Click through the gallery to find your next binge-worthy doc. About Gabriel Fernandez; Age: 8 Years: Birth: February 21, 2005: Death: May 24, 2013 California: Gender: Male: Siblings: Ezequiel, Virginia: Parents: Arnold Contreras . 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.Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre were charged and convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances . [7] The abuse and torture extended to Fernandez's siblings, except it was directed more towards Fernandez. In a statement to The Wrap published March 2, the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services said a new era of reform began in the wake of Gabriels death and that the department has implemented several new policies to ensure child safety. Gabriel Fernandez is 4 ft 0 in tall in height and his weight is 32 kg. In October 2012, Aguirre began working as a security guard for AVL Private Security; through AVL he worked at the Vallarta Market in Palmdale, California. ", Isauro Aguirre pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder with special circumstances of torture, and the case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami and Deputy District Attorney Scott Yang. And although Rodriguez and other representatives from agencies designed to protect children visited Gabriels home multiple times, the social workers never found signs of abuse strong enough to warrant removing him from his home. His reasoning? Here Are 14 Other True-Crime Docs You Should Watch (Photos). The murder of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez horrified Los Angeles. After Pearl Fernandez called 911 on May 22, 2013 to report that Gabriel was not breathing, the paramedics who responded found him with broken ribs, a cracked skull and BB pellets stuck in his body . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Why didnt all these people from welfare, social worker teachers saw that there were something wrong? The couple tortured him so much that he died in May 2013. Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 00:08, Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, California's 2nd District Court of Appeal, "The Murder of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, a Netflix Documentary", "Gabriel Fernandez: Who is Michael Lemos Carranza? He added that Fernandezs case did not appear to rely on evidence of felony murder conduct or natural and probable consequence liability. According to Elizabeth (sister of Isauro Aguirre), Pearl is mentally not well and she changed her brother and made him violent just like her. Mother's Bid for Re-Sentencing Denied in Torture-Death of 8-Year-Old Gabriel Fernandez Gabriel Fernandez was killed in May 2013, after months of torture by his mother and her boyfriend, both of . But when you get to the end, its about: how do you want to treat kids?. Gabriel Fernandez was only 8 years old when he was brutally murdered by his mother Pearl and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre. When the jury was seeking the death penalty for Aguirre, it was the same juror who voted against it, because he felt they needed to hear Aguirre out., 8. They used to live together and Gabriel was also living with them. The series includes a sizable amount of research on ways to combat child abuse, and details how child protective systems often fail because of a lack of transparency. Gabriel Fernandez (born in 2005) was a child from LA, USA. The boy Gabriel Fernandez was just 8 years old when he found dead on 24th May 24 2013 due to inflicted injuries he suffered when he was tortured, including a fractured skull, broken ribs and cigarette burns all over his body. Aguirre had a doubt that the child was gay and which is why both of them used to torture him. Shortly after starting there, her teacher, Jennifer Garcia, felt that things were not right at home. However, these charges were ultimately dismissed by California's 2nd District Court of Appeal for lack of probable cause. Similarly, Gabriel had two siblings, Ezequiel and Virginia. What kind of a human is the mother? Is it normal for you to bleed? he asked, according to Garcia. Garcia, who appears throughout the six-part series, says that a couple of weeks after he started in her classroom, Gabriel asked: Is it normal for mothers to beat their children? When she pressed him, Gabriel asked if it was normal to be hit with a belt buckle. Pearl Fernadez is the mother to the late Gabriel Fernandez who died after a brutal beating from his mother and her boyfriend. 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