. The results came back negative. Martinez ultimately asked to be transferred to another office. Rodriguez visited the familys apartment, but again Gabriel recanted. Pearl herself had suffered abuse as a child, giving the family another two points. Chevy Chase, MD, Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Dice by 2x. 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? Yet, nothing appeared to resolve the home abuse. Each of the four defendants, she said, should have noticed that Gabriel was in danger and filed a petition for his removal from the home, or at least ordered a medical examination. Sadly, Gabriel Fernandez was subjected to months of brutal torture at the hands of his mother Pearl and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre. But as they rummaged through a pile of recently closed cases, Dallis explained that Gabriel, who was 8, had been severely abused and might die. 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. Garcia asked what had happened. Theres hardly a night I dont dream about the department, she told me. He asked her to put an A on the paper in the hope that his mother would be impressed. 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. Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, Patricia Clement, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt were ordered today to stand trial on falsifying records and child abuse charges involving the death of Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old Palmdale boy who died in 2013 after prolonged child abuse. In a 2-1 opinion, the panel concluded that there was no probable cause to hold the four on charges of child abuse and falsifying documents. Payments for Straight and Premium Overtime. LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Unprecedented charges against Los Angeles County social workers were filed following the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez of Palmdale. He told Le Norgant that he was serious. 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. But many of the children in his caseload had that designation. Rodriguez returned her call the following day andallegedly said was assigned to the case and would investigate. 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. In her notes, she reported that shed observed the children to be appropriately dressed, visibly healthy, and did not have any marks or bruises., The following week, Garcia made multiple calls about Gabriels haircut and busted lip. Please exercise caution when reading this, as there are accounts of very brutal abuse amounting to torture and a child victim. Garcia was telling him he was lucky his mother loved himnot everyone had thatwhen Gabriel chimed in. The 2nd District Court of Appeal advised that the lower court dismiss the charges against the social workers. After school, Garcia made yet another call to Rodriguez. Rodriguez made one last visit, on January 29, 2013, after Garcia reported that Pearl Fernandez had shot Gabriel in the face with a BB gun. As long as human beings are involved in the child welfare program there are possibilities for mistakes to occur, he wrote. However, in November 2012, things appeared to get worse. Villar also stated that the defendants should have documented Gabriel Fernandezs injuries and that their actions were incompatible with the proper regard for human life.. Suddenly, Pearl wanted custody back in October 2012. Since then, the number of children removed from their home in any given year has risen or fallen according to pendulum swings in child-protective-services agencies, which have alternated between erring on the side of child safety and erring on the side of family preservation. 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. Lomeli also handled the social worker case and in 2018 had denied a motion to dismiss the charges, saying the boy's death was "foreseeable.". Children's Social Worker (CSW) The representative who works with the family who is in receiving services from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). If found guilty, they will be among the first caseworkers from a child-welfare agency to go to prison for their lapses on the job. Authorities later determined that his mother and her boyfriend had tortured him for at least five days. The District Attorney may appeal this decision. Corona was only filling in that day and, though reluctant, talked to a supervisor who told her not to get involved. 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. She was a 27-year-old newcomer with a bachelors degree in psychology and no academic credentials in social work. But the pressures of the job, she said, pushed her out anywayshe went on extended medical leave and eventually agreed to retire. Oh, okay, Garcia said finally, not knowing how else to cut the tension. 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. The disclosed employee information includes last name, first name, middle initial name, position title, department, fiscal year, earnings and benfits. A few days later, when Pearl Fernandez came in for a previously scheduled parent-teacher conference, Garcia propped the classroom door open, wary of being alone with her. He did, and he labored over every detail. 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. He wanted to, and worked very hard on it. Judge George Lomeli had previously denied a motion to dismiss the charges against the social workers. Garcia called Rodriguez again, despite the odd sense of complicity she now felt after hearing that her efforts only made things worse. When he reached Pearl on the phone she told him that Gabriel had moved to Texas with his grandmother. Clement and Merritt then became involved in the case. Garcia cracked a smile as the girls eyes seemed to say, Get me out of here. STEFANIE A RODRIGUEZ Salary Overview. She emailed the school psychologist, hoping that Gabriel might be able to receive counseling. Le Norgant also called 911, but the officer who visited the home left without even talking to Gabriel. She returned a few minutes later, saying she had been ordered not to get involved. His new address meant a new school, too. Gabriel asked his teacher, Jennifer Garcia, if it was normal for moms to hit their kids. Yet she also noticed that ideas came easily to Gabriel, and he seemed to gain a small measure of dominion over his surroundings with a pencil in hand. Earnings for Regularly Scheduled Work Hours. I could hardly walk. Host Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez turned to Jill Schlesinger, CFP, a business analyst for CBS News, for advice. Money Confidential is a podcast that dives into all aspects of money with expert Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez. Instead, she said the one thing she thought he could count on: One day, youre going to be 18. Social worker Stefanie Rodriguez and other representatives of child protection agencies visited Gabriel's home on a number of occasions. Yet, he remained in the custody of his mother, Pearl Fernandez, 33, and then-boyfriend Isauro Aguirre, 36, until his death on May 24, 2013. This time she reached her, and pressed her about what she was doing: How did Pearl Fernandez explain the injuries? 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. Gabriels eyes were swollen, and squinty like a cats. He was on life support until May 24th, 2013. They were informed of suicide notes written by Gabriel but they took no additional action. Shed spent the summer preparing to teach fourth grade at Palm Tree Elementary, in the high-desert town of Palmdale, north of Los Angeles. She enjoys both developing curriculum for caregivers and delivering it in the classroom and online. Aguirre received the death sentence. He died two days later. When her students arrived, she braced herself to give them the news. The social workers case is set to be heard Jan. 14 in Lomelis court. She had abandoned her youngest child, a daughter named Destiny, and lost custody of a son named Arnold Jr., who was a year older than Gabriel. Prosecutors say they failed to take the appropriate steps to protect Gabriel and then falsified documents related to his case. Have a seat. Then he admonished her, We dont investigate. 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,. Later that month, Gabriels case was closed. MyNewsLA.com wont sell your information and you can unsubscribe at any time. Merritt wasnt blind to Clements shortcomingshe told me hed once written a performance evaluation that scored her work as substandard, only to have his boss remove his criticisms and raise her score to competent. Under an agreement with the caseworkers union, managers were forbidden to fire, suspend, demote, or even write negative comments about any of their workers once certain caseload caps were reachedand the department routinely exceeded those caps. No one could protect them alland he felt frustrated that both administrators and the public expected him to do the impossible. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Little Gabriel Fernandez died at the hand of his mother and stepdad, Gregory Merritt was a social worker involved in Gabriel's case, Netflix's The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez explores tragic reason behind his death, Pearl Fernandez and stepfather Isauro Aguirre, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Rodriguez made no entry of this call. Los Angeles County social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 35, Patricia Clement, 69, and supervisors Kevin Bom, 41, and Gregory Merritt, 64, were each been charged with one felony count of child. Merritt, who is 62, had worked in the department for more than two decades. [INFO]Gabriel Fernandez: Is Pearl Fernandez still in prison? She remembered how hard hed worked on it, even after she told him he didnt have to. For PR Pros . A three-justice panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal issued an opinion Monday directing a lower court to dismiss child abuse and other charges against four social workers in the killing of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. She decided to call Rodriguez again, and again got voicemail. This button displays the currently selected search type. Garcia called the principal to the room to take a look at Gabriels head. The next year, California passed the first state law mandating that doctors report suspected child abuse and neglect. Garcia called Rodriguez and left yet another message. Is it normal for moms to hit their kids? he asked. In 2016, they were each charged with one felony count of child abuse. Merritt told me that he gravitated to Family Preservation because it aligned with his highest aspirations for his work. On Monday, November 26, Gabriel arrived late. Neither caseworker Kevin Bom nor case manager Stefanie Rodriguez felt the bruising was grounds for a doctors visit or Gabriels removal from the home. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. Every employment contract between a state or local agency and any public official or public employee is a public record which is not subject to the provisions of the law. They just couldnt wrap their heads around it, she told me. After all, Kate was mysteriously absent from the season three finale fast-forward scene and Toby seemed hesitant . In her report, Rodriguez described the lesion on his lip as an open blister.. Bom declined to comment for this article. Garcia didnt know what to say to Gabriel. She was impressive in many waysdeeply empathetic, very thoroughand had even been a foster child herself. Prosecutors opened an investigation into the social workers assigned to Gabriel's case after his mother Pearl Fernandez and stepfather Isauro Aguirre's were found guilty of his murder in 2018. An autopsy report showed bruises, fractures, and cuts all over his body including his groin as well as BB's embedded in his body. They reportedly moved to Des Moines soon after their wedding. Gabriel told her he had fallen off his bike and begged her not to send him home early. His mommy, she told them through tears, hurt him really bad.. The question today is whether the felony counts against four social workers will be dismissed, reduced or stand. Two years before Gabriel was born, Pearl was investigated after she and Gabriels older brother were in a car accident where her son suffered a head injury because he wasnt wearing his seatbelt. Stephanie Rodriguez. DCFS never learned about these injuries while Gabriel was alive. She explained that hearing the name Gabriel Fernandez had sent her into a daze. The girl later said that her mother asked her to help soak up blood from the floor. They each faced up to ten years in prison if found guilty. 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. Partner with a local real estate agent to find the home or apartment that's right for you Stefanie Rodriguez, Real Estate Agent - Compass Yes, he said. Despite their risk level being very high, Merritt manually changed the level to moderate and closed the case. 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. Free college is now a reality in nearly 30 states. As days passed, and then weeks, Gabriels situation only seemed to worsen. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. stefanie rodriguez social worker now. The two 29-year-old women locked eyes in uneasy silence. OPEN GOV US GOV US. Get notified about new Licensed Clinical Social Worker jobs in Chevy Chase, MD. 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. 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