When a child is murdered, the family is still tied to that child. Born on February 20, 2005, in Palmdale, California, Gabriel Fernandez had a difficult family life from the start. They consistently believed the parent over the child with the burn marks and black eye. Clinical psychologist Deborah S. Miora stated that Fernandez is "virtually unable to use thoughts to guide her behavior and control her emotional reactions. To some degree, its warranted, he says. He died at the age of eight years old, and the official autopsy declared he died of blunt force trauma that coincided with neglect and malnutrition. So they naturally believe their family members are eligible to be released from prison, he said. "[13], Currently, Fernandez is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder with special circumstances of torture at Central California Women's Facility. Investigators believe that there have been more than 150 cases where children have been abused even after it was brought to DCFS attention. Fernandez was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and Aguirre was sentenced to death. [13][12][14], Fernandez has been diagnosed with several mental health issues including a depressive disorder[vague], developmental disability, a possible personality disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Moreover, he is also known to be the son of Pearl Fernandez and Arnold Contreras. There are a lot of true-crime documentaries on Hulu, Netflix and HBO right now. Every day I wish that I would have made better choices. [citation needed] However, his execution has yet to be set in accordance with the moratorium on capital punishment issued by California governor Gavin Newsom. He began coming to class with patches of hair missing, scabs on his scalp, injured lips from being punched in the face and bruises all over his face after his mother shot him with a BB gun. . Man who tortured, killed Gabriel Fernandez among death row inmates who got COVID-19 jobless benefits from California by: Los Angeles Times. According to the documentary, Rodriguez never adequately made the inquiries needed to determine the condition of Gabriels home life. First Name Gabe #4. His grandfather cried in the court and said that for him Gabriel was his son. Prior to moving in with his mother, Pearl Fernandez, her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, and two siblings in Palmdale, located north of Los Angeles, Gabriel was shuffled between the homes of his relatives. In the documentary, one paramedic who arrived at the scene says Gabriels case was the worst she ever encountered in her career. Evidence-wise, Pearl Fernandez tortured and killed Gabriel, he said. Only to get maintance money.??? Gabriel Fernandez was only 8 years old when he was brutally murdered by his mother Pearl and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Shortly after birth, he was put in the custody of his great-uncle on his mother's side, Michael Lemos Carranza, and his partner David Martinez. Also Read: Journalist Behind Netflix's 'The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez' on 'Trauma' of Reporting on Child's Murder. Atty. He would show up to school with bruises all over his face, as well as fresh cigarette burns and shaved hair. You realized how much pain is out there.. 9. Gabriel Fernandez had dark brown eyes and while he was at the time of death he was 4 feet 1 inch tall. At the sentencing hearing, Pearl Fernandez apologized, saying she wishes Gabriel was still alive and that she hopes her kids can forgive her one day. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, February 26. The case sparked a debate about the effectiveness of the child protection system in California that they would not have done enough to avoid the obvious damage they were suffering. At the time she and. The child has 2 siblings named Ezequiel and Virginia. Lila Seidman is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times yearlong initiative exploring various facets of mental health. 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. [29] Garcia continued to call the child welfare hotline and was told each time that a social worker would check in on Fernandez. Gabriel was born on February 20, 2005 to Pearl Fernandez and Arnold Conteras. But they also brought charges against four social workers, something that had never happened before. Ezequiel Fernandez is currently at the age of 18 years old as of 2022. Cherie Kiyomura, a family friend who helped organize a rally that attracted dozens outside the courtroom, said shes endured an emotional roller coaster. Gabriel Fernandez (born in 2005) was a child from LA, USA. However, Gabriels well-being took a radical turn in 2012, when Pearl Fernandez reportedly welcomed him to obtain welfare benefits, despite his familys concerns that she was negligent with her other children. He pled not guilty; however, the jury found him guilty and recommended he be sentenced to death, which was accepted by Superior Court Judge George G. His mother, Pearl . Gabriel's father, Arnold, was incarcerated at the time. The images of his time with his uncles show a seemingly happy and healthy child. Gabriel, who was less than a year old at the time, was moved to live with Pearl's parents in 2005. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 37, was sentenced to life in prison without parole three years ago for her role in Gabriel Fernandez's 2013 murder. Its clear that, despite the existence of government agencies whose mission is to protect all children, Gabriels case fell through some gaping cracks. 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. Moreover, not only Gabriel they even raised all three of Pearl's kids, but in 2009 Ezequiel and Virginia went to live with Pearl and Gabriel stayed with them, until 2012. Gabriel Fernandez was born on February 20, 2005, in Palmdale, California. He added that Fernandezs case did not appear to rely on evidence of felony murder conduct or natural and probable consequence liability. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 37, was sentenced to life in prison without parole three years ago for her role in Gabriel Fernandezs 2013 murder. The social workers were accused of minimizing the evidence that Gabriel was abused and of falsely reporting that safety programs for Gabriel were working, when the abuse was only worsening, the documentary shows. Prosecutor Jon Hatami called Aguirre "pure evil" and argued that he deserved the death penalty even though it "doesn't even compare to what he did to Gabriel. Posted: Nov 24, 2020 / 11:35 AM PST. Click through the gallery to find your next binge-worthy doc. Gabriel Fernandez was just eight years old when he was tortured to death by his mum and her boyfriend Credit: KTLA 10 Pearl Fernandez was given life without parole for her part in the crimes. On contrary, his deceased brother Gabriel Fernandez was at the age of 8 years old when he was murdered brutally by their mother Pearl in 2013. I'm sorry to my children, and I want them to know that I love them. Arnold Contreras is the father in all cases. He said that the pain Gabriel Fernandez suffered was unimaginable to the point where he would call it animalistic, but even animals know how to take care of their young. He wished that both perpetrators would suffer mental torture in prison about what they had done. Pearl Fernandez Wiki [Gabriel Fernandez's Mother] Age, Biography, Family. As part of her February 2018 plea, Fernandez gave up her right to appeal. Additionally, this documentary contains details of Gabriel Fernandez's murder and the subsequent media and local government responses. [23], Pearl Fernandez pled guilty on February 15, 2018, to her charge as part of a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Later, his mother was sentenced to life imprisonment whereas Isauro was sentenced to death. During the time they had custody of him, they put out cigarettes on him, shot him in the face with a BB gun, made him eat cat litter and feces, and forced him to sleep in a locked cabinet, often while gagged and bound. 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: . Knappenberger acknowledges that The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez plays into the phenomenon, though he says hes taking a slightly different approach to really look at systemic problems, and take the story beyond the facts of the tragic case at its core. He is bald in most of his photographs. Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old boy in Palmdale, dies two days after being severely beaten. Jennifer Garcia cant keep her mind from drifting to little Gabriel. The murder of Laci Peterson is one of the most heavily-debated murders in U.S. history. Prosecutors have asked the court for a re-hearing of the case against the social workers, 6. Most recently, a four year old boy was being abused. Heartbreaking! [27]. However, there was so much blood, that she soon ran out of the color and had to switch to yellow stickers. And as detailed in Netflix's documentary "The Trials of Gabriel. Here's what happened to Gabriel Fernandez's siblings after the end of six-part Netflix docuseries The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. His case demonstrates how child abuse in children is administered. It doesnt matter how long ago the crime happened. [29] However, there was never a medical follow up and every time a social worker would go to Fernandez's household, she never talked directly to Fernandez and would only talk to his mother. [15], Pearl Fernandez filed a petition on April 8, 2021 which requested being re-sentenced but this was dismissed by the Los Angeles Superior Court Judge George G. Lomeli. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a six-part crime documentary that premiered on Netflix in 2020. His hometown is Palmdale, California. Witness testimony included in the series and court documents show that Fernandez and Aguirre undoubtedly abused Gabriel during the time he was in their care, and eventually tortured him until he stopped breathing. 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. It is in his memory and in pursuit of the safety of Los Angeles Countys two million children that we have reformed how child protection work is done.. In a court trial, the 37-year-old California-native described her complicated relationship with men characterized by domestic violence, acts of grievous bodily harm and several instances of sexual abuse as one of the leading motivations behind the . She dropped out of school in the 8th grade. 11 found him guilty, while one man didnt believe he should be convicted of first-degree murder. Gabriels brother testified that Aguirre would hold him up by the neck, while his sister said Aguirre knocked the air out of Fernandez on several occasions. Gabriel Fernandez was only 8 years old when he was brutally murdered by his mother Pearl and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre. The series debuts at a high point of popularity for true crime stories, which have found large audiences through podcasts, books, and now, an influx of documentaries on streaming services. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, Finished 'The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez'? Unsure of what would happen, Kiyomura entered the courtroom with a sickening feeling.. 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. David Martinez died Tuesday morning from COVID-19 in El Salvador, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami told Oxygen.com on Friday. Spread throughout six parts, the series has been gut-wrenching at times. Critics have noted that obsession over true crime stories can lead to a risk of sensationalism of violence, with victims stories exploited for entertainment. He died at the age of eight. [22] However, when Gabriel died, Fernandez and Aguirre were both charged with first degree murder with special circumstances of torture; prosecutors pursued the death penalty. Her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, 40, was sentenced. During the trial, jurors were told the autopsy took an unusual two days because the injuries were so substantive. Pearl was 23 when she became pregnant with Gabriel. The recent Netflix documentary, "The Trials of Gabriel Fern. Cause of death On May 22, 2013, Gabriel Fernandez was not breathing so his mother called the police to report her child. Fernandez had been fatally beaten by his mother and Aguirre after failing to clean up his toys. Shortly after starting there, her teacher, Jennifer Garcia, felt that things were not right at home. Here's what you need to know about the crime, and its ongoing effect on L.A. County's criminal justice system. The judge, who had been on the bench for 20 years, said he never personally commented on a case he presided over, but had to for this one. ", "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? As a teenager, Fernandez claimed that her uncle attempted to rape her and that some men had held her hostage for a period of days taking turns raping her, which led to her having suicidal thoughts while at the hospital recovering. Prosecutors would later charge Rodriguez and three other social workers with child abuse and falsifying records in Gabriels case. Furthermore, there is a video on Netflix uploaded in 2020 titled The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. On Wednesday, Netflix will release a six-part docu-series examining how both Gabriel's family and the justice system failed an eight-year-old boy named Gabriel Fernandez. He died on May 24, 2013. 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. 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.