LOS ANGELES – At least a dozen social workers managed reports of abuse and neglect in Anthony Avalos’ family before the 10-year-old boy died in Lancaster, alleged at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend, but a county report presented Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors could not say what might have been done differently to save him.
The review by the Office of Child Protection concluded that the Avalos case was very different from the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, another Antelope Valley boy, and involved frequent home visits, counseling for family members and many interviews with relatives, neighbors, law enforcement and school personnel.
“While the death of Anthony was horrible, heartbreaking, and apparently brutal; while it occurred in the Antelope Valley; and while there had been previous (Department of Children and Family Services) involvement with Anthony and his family, from a systemic perspective, this case is very dissimilar to the notorious and awful 2013 death of Gabriel Fernandez,” the report states.
OCP Director Michael Nash told the board that one key difference was that DCFS was not monitoring the family at the time of Anthony’s death. Nash also said if Gabriel had been taken for one forensic exam — as Anthony was — the extent of his abuse would have been uncovered and he would likely have been saved.
Gabriel was beaten to death by his mother’s boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, who has been sentenced to death for the crime. Gabriel’s mother, Pearl Fernandez, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for her role in the abuse.
In Anthony’s case, his 28-year-old mother, Heather Maxine Barron, and her boyfriend, Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 32, are charged with killing and torturing him in the days leading up to his June 21 death. They are jailed while awaiting arraignment in Lancaster.
The OCP report did not lay out DCFS failings in Gabriel’s case, but detailed a host of contacts and follow-up around reports of abuse and neglect of Anthony and his siblings.
“Social workers frequently visited the family home and conducted home evaluations. The children were regularly interviewed, frequently alone, and regularly had their bodies checked for signs of physical abuse. Numerous collateral witnesses were interviewed, including relatives, neighbors, service providers, school personnel, and law enforcement,” the report found.
The OCP report acknowledged lessons learned, but did not point to any one thing that might have been done differently to save Anthony. In fact, the report — and Nash — concluded that the question couldn’t be answered.
“The key question is whether or not Anthony might still be alive today if certain things had been done differently. That question cannot be answered, especially when considering the extent of DCFS involvement followed by 18 months of a lack of reporting from any source, mandated or otherwise,” the report states. “What is clear is that Anthony’s death did not occur while the family was being monitored by DCFS.”
Supervisor Janice Hahn pushed back on that conclusion.
“If we can’t point to something that we either did or didn’t do that could have saved Anthony’s life, then I think we’re going to have a tough time going forward,” Hahn said.
Barron was the first one to file a report in February 2013, going to the sheriff’s station to accuse her father of sexually abusing Anthony, an allegation substantiated by social workers who arranged for the boy to get counseling.
“The contradictions in how this mother conducted herself in this case are mind-boggling,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Fifth District, including the Antelope Valley.
A dozen other allegations followed, with sources claiming abuse or neglect of Anthony or his siblings by Barron, Leiva or the fathers of two of the siblings. Reports of physical abuse were deemed to be unfounded or inconclusive, with one “evaluated out.” Some reports of general neglect were substantiated.
Barron voluntary completed domestic violence and parenting programs and a dependency court case was opened as a result of the allegations involving the father of a sibling.
Barron also gave birth to three more children between September 2014 and July 2017 and seven children ultimately lived in the home, according to the OCP.
From November 2016 until Barron called paramedics to her home on June 20, saying that Anthony had been injured in a fall, there were no calls to DCFS or law enforcement from teachers, doctors, neighbors, relatives or anyone else who knew Anthony, according to the report.
“The radio silence may or may not have been significant in this case,” Nash said.
Nash and his office recommended changes that should be made to the child welfare system, including enhanced monitoring for families who voluntarily agree to counseling and other programs; more training for social workers and law enforcement on how to interview kids; and better collaboration between social workers and law enforcement personnel.
“The whole process needs to be changed in how we link families to services” and when social workers decide to close a case and walk away from a family, Nash said.
He also called for more investigative training, saying that people who pursue a career in social work typically want to help families, “but we’re asking social workers to be detectives on top of this.”
Heavy caseloads also remain an issue and “have always affected the quality of work,” Nash said, calling for more resources.
DCFS Director Bobby Cagle told the board that caseloads are down significantly countywide, but that further reductions are possible, particularly in the Antelope Valley.
In addition to making sure social workers aren’t juggling too much, Cagle said he wants to hire more supervisors.
Cagle told the board that Anthony’s death was weighing heavily on his department and said he was not waiting for various investigations — including a pending state audit — to be completed before implementing changes.
Barger characterized the Lancaster office of DCFS as “in turmoil” and questioned what more could be done.
“As much as we tried to protect this child, the services provided fell short,” Barger said.
The county is temporarily pulling resources from other offices to fill gaps in the Antelope Valley.
Pressed on the issue of what might have saved Anthony, Cagle told the board, “We have no known interventions that can be 100 percent effective, 100 percent of the time. We try our best, sometimes we make mistakes, but we have people that go out every single day and risk their own lives to try and save these children.”
Previous related stories:
Reports of abuse ended in 2016 for Anthony Avalos
Review of Antelope Valley child welfare services to follow boy’s death
Homicide detectives investigating suspicious death of 10-year-old Lancaster boy
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DEE says
GABRIEL, ANTHONY AND MANY MORE CHILDREN’S BLOOD IS ON DCFS FOR NEGLECT AND TAKING THERE JOB MORE SERIOUS, PERSUING TO THRE OATHS OF PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, INSTEAD OF ENGAGING IN GOSSIP AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCES TO ACCOMIDATE THERE CARRERS THIS IS A CONSEQUENCES OF THE LACK AND LEAKAGE OF THERE PROFESSIONALISM,,,, MY CHILDREN HAVE OVER A DOZEN OF REFERRALS UNSUSTAND INCLUDING ABUSE, NEGLICT AND MY CHILDREN ARE STILL PUT BACK WITH A HUMNA BEING THAT GETS TAPPED IN THE HAND. DCFS NEEDS TO PRACTICE WHAT THEY REALLY GAVE OATH TO WHICH IS OUR CHILDREN!!!!!! I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING A DCFS CASE FOR ALMOST 24 MONTH INCLUDING WRAP TEAM BEING AUDIT BUT SOCIAL WORKER AND SUPERVISORS WING EACH OTHER CO COVER UP THE CRIME THEY ARE COMMITTING TO OUR CHILDREN WITH LIES , FALSE DOCUMENTATION AND BEING MALICIOUS, TAKING CASE VERY PERSONAL INSTEAD OF FIGHTING FOR THE LESS HARM WHICH IS OUR CHILDREN WHEN WILL THIS STOP….. NO MORE EXCUSE LOAD OF WORK , TO MANY REFERRAL AND MUCH MORE BULL CRAP…… TAKE YOUR TIME WISELYAND DO YOUR JOB!!!! SO MANY FALSE ALLEGATINS AND SPENDING TIME ON TRYING TO COVER YOUR ASS FOR THE WRONGFUL YOU’VE DONE!!!!!! BY TAKING CASE PERSONNEL AND GETTING BACK AND THE GOOD ONES……. IF YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR CARRER SERIOUS PLEASE DON’T KILL CHILDREN ANYMORE !!!!!
Jacarri says
Its ok Im fighting until the very end for my child. But if DCFS actually did their job and really investigated physically and did it the right way with out having to lie just to have some child taken they wouldn’t be overwhelmed with cases. If someone in that department or above that department would actually go through the case and follow the workers investigation…………..they will see about good 85% percent of the case they have are false reports and statements made by DCFS. DCFS has went from worst to disaster after Gaberiel Fernandez case. Smh Like I said if anybody needs to be in front of the judge its definitely DCFS you cant investigate anything over a phone.
Jacarri says
The tragedy of this case bothers me to soul. Dcfs needs to be investigated period. About this case as well as every other case in the department. If so many visits where made why is this little boy dead. One article said Dcfs detained Anthony and gave him back in a week. No parenting classes no nothing. How could not seen any type of abuse I haven’t read anything about Dcfs asking the parents to do a exam or anything . Dcfs detained my child and I have witnesses and medical records showing my son has never been abuse. But because the emergency worker lied in her report she falsified the sheriff statement. The emergency worker came out one time that’s day she was called out by who ever. After that nothing but phone calls. They don’t come to investigate anything they do everything from the phone. It’s been almost 2 years I’ve been fighting for my child and not once have try submitted any thing that proves my child was abuse. Dcfs is known for lying they even have so called right to lie. And if anybody with common sense that’s following this case knows their comments in this story is bull. Their not doing their job or following proper procedures it seem to me hiring more supervisors is not going to solve real problem in this Dcfs department at all. They taken people’s children with no proof of anything just thier word against the parents. They ruin families by lying wasting time disrupting civil rights instead of doing their job and investigating the children thats really being abuse and actually need their help. Dcfs supposedly made home visits all these years to this little boys home but for some reason they stop invetigating because of what and you have more than five different people reporting this little boy situation. I don’t understand how they let him stay in home. Only one call was made against me by some lying being evil and my child has been gone almost 2 years for allegations Dcfs failed to really investigae. Smh this department is sad full of s*** and bunch dam liers. That should not be allowed in any case. How do they have right to lie why do they have that right in first place? ………….. Because the department is way more sicker than people think. I hope everybody involved as far Dcfs goes to trail for the deaf of little boy and should be charged just like parents.
Jenny says
Jacari,
I am so sorry you and your child has to experience this and I am sending you love & support as you continue to fight to get your child back. Your point is valid. There are enormous discrepancies between how cases are handled and ultimately it feels pretty subjective.
Jacarri says
I appreciate it very much. I also agree DCFS is just as sick as the mom and boyfriend. I can’t believe their not behind bars right now they plenty of evidence more than enough witnesses they even physical evidence that he was being abused and didn’t do anything. But they can’t prove any of the allegations in my case the sheriff department through the case out after they investigated but DCFS didn’t put the sheriffs real statement in the report they changed everything the sheriff said his whole statement smh. They had time to lie and wrongfully remove my son but didn’t have time to save this little boy. Heartbreaking they had all the evidence, and witnesses in the world to have that kid removed and did nothing. It kills me
Imtay Otscay says
Only in America do we have an agency to blame for everything and to protect us from everything. Ya know how many countries don’t have a DCFS? Or Food Stamps? Or Social Security? Or Welfare? Or forensics? In many countries this situation would be handled by relatives with an AK-47 and the bodies of the child-killers would be tossed in the street, and a donkey cart would come by within a month or so and collect the corpses. But not here, we blame some agency.
I am running low on beer, I blame The Tim Scott Foundation.
Alexis says
I love your pig Latin! Working on that twelve pack by 9:00 A.M.? Been there, done that. Thanks for the humor today, Imtay Otscay.
Alexis says
I practice teetotalism now. I blame him-I blame her-I blame them-Not me. I’m innocent! I was framed! I think I’ll sue somebody, anybody!
Justice denied says
V Jesse Smith is running for Palmdale Mayor and is representing these case workers as their union representative his role is to protect these case workers at all cost. Sad
RF says
There were 27 DCFS workers involved in the case against my ex. None of them had any business being anywhere around children. I’d bet all the workers involved in the latest child death in Lancaster are on the list I have.
ana says
drop that list
RF says
I’ve offered the list (& the rest of the paperwork) to Katheryn Barger & to the lawyers involved in going after the DCFS workers that were working the cases of the two kids that were murdered. Never heard a word from any of them.