Find Stefanie Rodriguez's articles, email address, contact information, Twitter and more. Sleeping Pods. Baghdad Central: How does the series differ from the original book? City News Service contributed to this report. The caseworker told me she believes in her training. Caseworkers were told to focus on services versus surveillance and to label a parent as being in need of services/support rather than as a perpetrator. The caseworkers and their supervisors would be the decision makers on any interventionno judge would second-guess them, and no lawyers would be appointed to argue for the best interests of the children. The appellate court could also dismiss the charges or reduce them to misdemeanors. Right, Mrs. Garcia? he asked, as if he needed confirmation. Name. In 1962, the Journal of the American Medical Association published the results of the first national survey of hospitals about child abuse. Partner with a local real estate agent to find the home or apartment that's right for you Stefanie Rodriguez, Real Estate Agent - Compass See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. In an 2-1 opinion, the panel concluded that there was no probable cause to hold the two social workers and their supervisors on charges of child abuse and falsifying documents. Before calling 911, Pearl and her boyfriend, Isuaro Aguirre cleaned up their apartment. ' in reference to the social worker. Bom declined to comment for this article. They alleged the officials failed to take appropriate steps to protect the boy. I thought Gabriel would benefit. So she agreed to accept his case rather than urging Rodriguez to take it to courta decision that has haunted her ever since. The announcement that they faced criminal charges had come as a shock. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The Family Preservation unit would now be expected to send a caseworker to the Fernandez home every two weeks, and to supplement those visits with family and individual counseling sessions. There are no safety or risks [sic] to the childrens welfare at this time. Her recommendation: Close the case.. The pendulum swung, and the United States saw a nearly 25 percent drop in the number of children in foster care from 2002 to 2012. Four Los Angeles County social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 30; Patricia Clement, 65; Kevin Bom, 36; and Gregory Merritt, 60 have been charged with child abuse and falsifying public. But of that 60%, 37% reported losing money and 21% said their relationship with the borrower was harmed. Merritts attorney even accused Gabriels teacher, Jennifer Garcia, of not doing enough to protect him, because she had followed Rodriguezs instructions to call her directly when she had concerns. 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. 620k Followers, 31 Following, 122 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Stephanie Rodriguez (@stephrodriguezofficial) The position title is CHILDREN'S SOCIAL WORKER I. The internal investigation also found that Stephanie never visited Gabriels school, talked to the neighbours or interview Gabriel and his siblings alone. Please fill in the following form. If he didnt beat Gabriel, Pearl and Isauro would threaten him, so he would whisper to Gabriel to fall quickly so he didnt have to hit him as much. Silver Spring, MD. This created a financial incentive to reduce the use of foster care. Gabriel Fernandez: Who is Michael Lemos Carranza? To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. During the final eight months of Gabriel Fernandezs life, numerous concerns had been made to the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services [DCFS]. HBO 2020 release schedule: Whats new on HBO in March 2020? He then asked if it was normal for moms to hit kids with a belt buckle and make you bleed. He did, and he labored over every detail. The dismissal was long expected after an appellate panel ruled in January that the social workers should not face charges for failing to prevent the torture and killing of the Palmdale boy. Pearl admitted to hitting him with the belt. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez was sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading to first-degree murder and admitting the torture allegation. Pearl abandoned her youngest child, Destiny, and lost custody of a son older than Gabriel, named Arnold Jr. Cat feces had been forced down his throat. Both were soon fired from the department, as were their supervisors, Gregory Merritt and Kevin Bom. Prosecutors are holding four Los Angeles County social workers criminally responsible and have charged them with child abuse. She knewas so many of the schools staff members knewthat Gabriel was in danger at home. The second best result is Stefanie Denise Rodriquez age 40s in Fort Worth, TX. Clement and Merritt then became involved in the case. Clement paid her first visit to Gabriels home on February 13, but her notes contain few details. Neither caseworker Kevin Bom nor case manager Stefanie Rodriguez felt the bruising was grounds for a doctors visit or Gabriels removal from the home. Other Benefits, Short Disability Insurance and Dependent & Health Care Spending Accounts. 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. 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 caseworker I shadowed was one of the new arrivals; she held the same job Stefanie Rodriguez had once had. Still, Pearl received custody of Gabriel. I learned early on that if Im gonna be any good to my clients, I have to take care of myself, Merritt said. READ MOREGabriel Fernandez: What happened to Gabriel Fernandezs parents? The social workers case is set to be heard Jan. 14 in Lomelis court. Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW-R, MSW Location. Prosecutors allege Rodriguez and later Clement the latter took on the case after Garcia was shot in the face falsifiedrecords. Instead, she asked Gabriel whether he really wanted to do that days assignment: making a Mothers Day card. Under California law, teachers must report any suspected child abuse, but even those who report are not always heard. Around this time, Gabriel came to class looking even worse than he ever had before. Its not part of your duties.. Due to the amount of injuries to his body, the autopsy took two days. 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. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. CNBC - Fri, 08 Apr 2022 . She told Pearl that he was a good writer and that he was smart, but Pearl seemed skeptical. So what? It was stated that there was no probable cause connected to child abuse or falsifying documents in a 2-to-1 opinion. Arturo Martinez, a security guard at the welfare office had also noticed Gabriels injuries and also tried to report his concerns. He asked her to put an A on the paper in the hope that his mother would be impressed. Pearl rushed out of the office with her children, blocking Martinez view of Gabriel as she did. The boy was left in his mothers custody despite repeated reports of abuse, including by Gabriels teacher, and follow-up visits by the social workers to the family home. 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. . His one solace was a mens group at church, where he felt he was able to make his case to a higher power. Her 8-year-old son Gabriel fell and hit his head on a dresser, and now he wasn't breathing. She later learned that Gabriel had been declared brain-dead by the time shed called. Grace: My mom is 77 and she's better about money. Learn More{{/message}}, {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}It appears your submission was successful. Stephanie Rodriguez. Please exercise caution when reading this, as there are accounts of very brutal abuse amounting to torture and a child victim. He died on May 24, 2013, and in 2018, Pearl and Isauro were found guilty of first-degree murder with an additional special circumstance of intentional murder by torture. However, in November 2012, things appeared to get worse. Skin was peeling off his forehead. 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. Pearl was yelling at him to sit, and Martinez told her to tone it down. 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. Shed sometimes find him crying at the end of the day, saying he didnt want to go home. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In January, the Palmdale teacher testified that she reported Gabriels physical injuries as well as his allegations that the injuries were at the hands of his mother. This in addition to other instances of violent physical, mental, and emotional child abuse. The four also had criminal charges filed against them. They could have properly documented Gabriels injuries. LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge dismissed charges against social workers who were accused of child abuse and falsifying records related to the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez. he temperature outside was already in the 80s on the morning last fall when Ezequiel and Virginia testified in Isauro Aguirres murder trial. We did our own thing out there, he told me. Stefanie Rodriguez was the first person who looked into Gabriel's case, when his teacher put in a call about the possibility of Pearl beating Gabriel at home, for his in-school behavior. When the charges were announced, Browning made a statement describing Gabriels case as an isolated incident and describing the four defendants as outliers whose actions shouldnt reflect on the department as a whole. She became a caseworker in her 50s, after spending much of her career as a counselor at the church where her husband was a pastor. But she said her boss had told her not to call the hotline, because he didnt want to jeopardize Pearls cooperation with the Voluntary Family Maintenance program. After they found the file and Dallis left, Merritt said a silent prayer for the boy. In September 2018, Superior Court Judge George G. Lomeli denied a motion to dismiss the charges, calling the young Palmdale boys death foreseeable.. Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 9 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations. Pearl and Aguirre asked no questions and offered no pleasantries. The woman they knew was profane, ill-tempered, and prone to yelling at clients. He was on life support until May 24th, 2013. Each employee's information disclosed include the full name, department, position title, annual earnings and benefits, etc. That same year, Casey declared a new central goal: to reduce the number of children in foster care by half by 2020. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Rodriguez assured the teacher she would investigate, but matters got worse for Gabriel in November 2012. Garcia called Rodriguez again, pressing her about what she was doing to help Gabriel. Gabriels eyes were swollen, and squinty like a cats. 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. 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. They hid Gabriels bloody clothes and moved a picture to cover one of the biggest dents in their apartments walls. All Information about Stefanie Rodriguez He called 911, but the operator said the situation didnt sound like an emergency and gave him the number for nonemergencies. I wondered to what extent Gabriels death and the criminal charges facing their former colleagues had affected how they approached their jobs. 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). Garcia didnt know what to say to Gabriel. Gabriel's mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, was sentenced to life in prison, while her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was sentenced to death. When it was time to leave at 5 oclock, I left, whether I had a mound of paperwork in my cubicle or not. The job was hard, and one of the things that angered him most was when a subordinate worked unpaid hours. In that time, at least 143 children in Los Angeles County have died from abuse or neglect after having some prior history with DCFS.. But Browning, who left the department in 2017, acknowledged over email that these reforms could not guarantee that the department wouldnt see another death like Gabriels. Youd see people in the office that made you wonder, Wow, how did they get through the gates? Merritt told me. 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 January 2020 California 2nd District Court of Appeals threw out the charges against the four former social workers. On the rare days when Gabriel came to class, she told him to be good and never give his mother a reason to get angry. 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. He walked into class with his head down. They rushed him to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, where he was on life support for two days. Hed whisper in Gabriels ear to fall to the ground quickly when he hit him. But Merritt was proud of his work, especially his efforts to keep together families that might otherwise be separated. The Pharmacist on Netflix: Whats the shocking true story. Its destroyed a lot of lives. County Pension (Defined Benefits) Contributions. Did he have to dance when they shot him with the BB gun?. An investigation into the eight-month period leading up to his death discovered that his mother doused him with pepper spray, locked him in a closet with a sock forced in his mouth, and forced him to eat his own vomit. May 21, 2022 . Gabriel moved in with his mother and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, as well as two siblings: an 11-year-old brother named Ezequiel and a 9-year-old sister, Virginia. Social workers spoke, on average, with fewer than two witnessesneighbors, friends, school officials, health-care providersalthough the departments policy required that they interview at least three. The court stated: Although there may be consequences to social workers who fail to fulfil their duties, the consequences do not include criminal liability for child abuse., In the documentary, Merrit said: Those of us who were working the case seems to have done what we could have done. They were informed of suicide notes written by Gabriel but they took no additional action. His aim, he says, was to develop ways to prevent abuse from occurring in the first place and, when foster care was necessary, to move children to safe, permanent homes more quickly. Corona said she wanted to help but was only filling in. Gabriels eyes seemed to ask Martinez for help. His testimony lasted hours; he was unable to recall many details and had to constantly refer to transcripts of prior testimony. Garcia called Rodriguez and left yet another message. Stefanie Rodriguez Executive Business Partner at Lyft New York, New York, United States 478 followers 476 connections Join to connect Lyft University of San Francisco Activity Career Update! As Garcia started reviewing Gabriels progress, his mother blurted, I dont hit my kids.. Gabriel told the teacher that his mother hit him with belt buckle until he bled and asked whether such bleeding was normal. But when he tried to institute more rigorous performance standards, representatives of the service providersincluding many churchesfilled the county board of supervisors large meeting room and gave hours of heated testimony. I mean, everybody beats their kids. He called the number for nonemergencies and was later told that a sheriffs deputy had gone to Gabriels home but hadnt seen anything wrong. One was addressed to his mother: I love you so much that I will die. 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