Social workers charged with child abuse in death of Palmdale Ca. boy

[dixiegrrrrl]

This is so sad for the poor victim, who was betrayed by his family AND by the system that should have helped him.

Gabriel Fernandez died two years ago in May. Prosecutors say he was the victim of repeated abuse.

The boy's mother, 31-year-old Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, and her former boyfriend, 35-year-old Isauro Aguirre, have both been charged with capital murder in Gabriel's death

Snip
A complaint for an arrest warrant filed on March 28 charges social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 30, and Patricia Clement, 65, and their respective supervisors, Kevin Bom, 38, and Gregory Merritt, 60, each with one felony count of child abuse and one felony count of falsifying public records, according to the district attorney's office.
The district attorney's press released stated that Rodriguez and Clement are accused of falsifying reports that should have documented signs of Gabriel's escalating physical abuse, and Bom and Merritt knew or should have known that they were approving false reports that conflicted with the evidence of Gabriel's deteriorating physical well-being.

http://abc7.com/news/social-workers-charged-with-child-abuse-in-death-of-palmdale-boy/1280709/

The places I worked as a Social Worker were all very serious about documenting, and made sure the legal consequences were known.

It appears that the arrested employees faked their investigation into the complaints they had received and lied in their reports.

I have not heard of Social workers being arrested for stuff like this just fired, but hope the arrests will wake up people in the field.

[H2O Man]

1. This is so troubling.

Recommended.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. Falsifying documents is serious business

n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. State AND federal violation.

Altho, just before I retired, I was working in Ca. and found that oversight was not as strict as it was in Fla. and Ala.

[jwirr]

4. Totally agree. Child Protection is THE top job of social services.

While all the other departments are important and can make life decisions that save lives CP does it every day.