The social workers were assigned Gabriel’s case more than six months before he died – enough time for them to be complicit in his abuse, prosecutors contend.
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The four were charged in connection with the death of Gabriel Fernandez, who died May 24, 2013, of injuries that included a fractured skull, broken ribs and burns across his body. Lacey says the four were negligent in Gabriel’s death.
The four social workers will be arraigned April 21.
Each are charged with one felony count of child abuse and one felony count of falsifying public records, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.
In allegedly disregarding the abuse that Gabriel was confronting, prosecutors contend, the social workers contributed to his suffering.
In the NY case, Administration for Children’s Services caseworker Damon Adams and his supervisor, Chereece Bell, were charged with criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child in the death of 4-year-old Marchella Pierce, who was repeatedly beaten and tied to a bed before her death in 2010. “I want these four social workers to be an example to all social workers out there about doing their job”.
Rodriguez, Clement, Bom and Merritt each face up to 10 years in state prison if convicted.
His mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 31, and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre, 35, are awaiting trial, charged with his murder.
A judge set bail for each of them at $100,000.
The boy had written a note saying he was considering suicide, according to records.
Gabriel Fernandez is seen in a photo provided by his family.
One of the four successfully appealed his termination to the county’s Civil Service Commission and has been reinstated, prompting Children’s Services to appeal that ruling in court.
After Gabriel’s death, the DCFS launched an internal investigation that determined “a number of DCFS staff associated with Gabriel’s case performed far below expectations”, department director Philip Browning said in a letter to employees.
Rodriguez and Clement are accused of “falsifying reports that should have documented signs of Gabriel’s escalating physical abuse”.
“My client’s name will be cleared”, Rodriguez’s attorney, Lance Filer, told the AP.
The lawyers said Bom is a licensed therapist and senior member of his church.
Supervisors Bom and Merritt knew, or should have known, that they approved reports that contradicted Fernandez’s deteriorating condition, which led to Gabriel remaining at home until his death, prosecutors said.
Outside the court, Merritt and Clement declined to respond when reporters asked how they meant to answer to the charges, the Times said.
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