Jon Hatami, who was a prosecutor in the high-profile Gabriel Fernandez torture case, says he's faced a hostile work environment and defamatory language that targeted him as an Iranian American. Sara Welch reports for the KTLA 5 News at 6 on Feb. 10, 2021.Feb 10, 2021
Who was Gabriel Fernandez and how did he die?
· Gabriel attributed these to being punched and shot with a BB gun by his mother. During investigations, Gabriel retracted his statements because social workers failed to interview him without his mother present. On March 26, Gabriel’s therapist filed a report claiming that Gabriel had been forced to perform oral sex on a relative.
How old is Gabriel Daniel Fernandez?
Jon Hatami was the Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney who prosecuted Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre for the murder of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, who died in …
Do your kids know who Gabriel Fernandez is?
Sign Up for Free to View. The details of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez’s abuse were horrific — but to Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami they were also personal. Hatami was a victim of child abuse himself, surviving a “tough few years” of physical and verbal abuse at the hands of his father as a boy of just 4 or 5 years old.
What happened to Gabriel Fernandez's siblings?
· Gabriel Fernandez was an eight-year old boy who died at the hands of his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre. ... As Im watching the case because im taking criminal law at school, weve talked about child abuse and his named popped in my head so I started watching this case on netflix. As a mom it makes me cry hearing about ...
Who is Jonathan Hatami?
Jonathan “Jon” Amir Hatami (born December 15, 1969) is an American prosecutor serving as a Deputy District Attorney in the Complex Child Abuse Unit in the office of the Los Angeles County District Attorney. Manhattan, New York, U.S. Hatami was born in Manhattan, New York.
Who was responsible for Gabriel Fernandez?
Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre were both charged and convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances of torture. Fernandez was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and Aguirre was sentenced to death. Palmdale, California, U.S.
Who was isauro Aguirre attorney?
But Aguirre's attorney, Michael Sklar, told the jury that while his client killed Gabriel, there was no premeditation, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
Is Aguirre still on death row?
Aguirre, now 40, is now on death row.
What happened to the four social workers in Gabriel Fernandez case?
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Thursday dismissed charges against four social workers who had been accused of failing to protect Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old Palmdale boy who was tortured and killed by his mother and her boyfriend.
Were the 4 social workers charged in california?
A Los Angeles County judge on Thursday dismissed the case against four social workers who were charged in connection with the torture death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez — after being directed to do so by a California appeals court.
What did Gabriel Fernandez siblings do?
Ezequiel FernandezGabriel Fernandez / Brother
Did Pearl Fernandez boyfriend get death penalty?
Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 37, was sentenced to life in prison without parole three years ago for her role in Gabriel Fernandez's 2013 murder. Her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, 40, was sentenced to death.
Where did isauro Aguirre work?
But, before he worked as a security guard, Aguirre worked at Woodland Park Retirement Hotel as both a caregiver and driver.
Where is Gabriel Fernandez mother now?
So now the question is she is Dead or Alive, while the jury had sentenced Isauro to death and shifted to the San Quentin State Prison. But Pearl Fernandez is still alive and imprisoned at California's Chowchilla State Women's Prison.
Where is Gabriel Fernandez father?
Today Contreras is once again behind bars, serving time in the Calipatria State Prison after being convicted on two separate charges of acquiring and retaining personal identification information with a prior, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Who was the prosecutor in the Gabriel Fernandez case?
Jon Hatami was the prosecutor in the Gabriel Fernandez case (Image: NETFLIX) Jon Hatami prosecuted Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre (Image: NETFLIX) Between 2011 and 2016, Hatami worked as a senior trial attorney, working on child physical abuse and sexual abuse cases. According to The Cinemaholic, in 2016 he became a senior trial attorney in ...
How old was Gabriel Fernandez when he died?
Gabriel Fernandez was 8-years-old when he died (Image: NETFLIX) In the documentary, Hatami sympathised with the fact Gabriel wrote his mother a mother’s day card expressing his love for her, despite the fact he was being horrifically abused by her and her partner at home.
What charges did Cuatro have?
They both have been charged with one count of murder and torture, while Cuatro also has an additional charge of assault on a child causing death. Cuatro was also charged with a count of sexual penetration of a child under 10. Both deny the charges against them and will stand trial.
Who is the prosecutor in the case of Noah Cuatro?
Hatami is currently the prosecutor in two high profile child abuse cases – Noah Cuatro and Anthony Avalos - which were highlighted in The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. Cuatro’s parents Jose Maria Cuatro Jr and Ursula Elaine Juarez are accused of torturing the four-year-old boy before his death.
Where did Hatami go to law school?
At age 18 he joined the US Army and later went on to attain his law degree at the University of Nebraska before accepting a job as a civil attorney in Los Angeles in 2006. Between 2011 and 2016, Hatami worked as a senior trial attorney, working on child physical abuse and sexual abuse cases. According to The Cinemaholic, in 2016 he became ...
How many episodes of The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez are there on Netflix?
All six episodes of The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez are streaming on Netflix now. The series looks into the heartbreaking case of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, who was abused and murdered by his mother Pearl Fernandez and her partner Isauro Aguirre .
Is the trial of Gabriel Fernandez on Netflix?
Hatami is also an advocate against child abuse and continues to work to improve legislation to protect children. The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is streaming on Netflix now.
How old was Gabriel Fernandez when he was abused?
The details of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez’s abuse were horrific — but to Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami they were also personal. Hatami was a victim of child abuse himself, surviving a “tough few years” of physical and verbal abuse at the hands of his father as a boy of just 4 or 5 years old.
Why was Gabriel Fernandez killed?
Fernandez was killed in May 2013 after he was beaten, tortured and starved by his mother Pearl Sinthia Fernandez and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre, allegedly because Aguirre believed the young boy was gay.
Where is Pearl Fernandez?
She is serving out her sentence at Chowchilla State Women’s Prison in Central California. “That case was so important. It was worth it,” Roxanne told the paper.
Who was sentenced to death for the murder of Pearl Sinthia Fernandez?
A jury found Isauro Aguirre guilty of first-degree murder and torture and sentenced him to death.
What did Gabriel write to his mother?
Yet, Gabriel had still written a note to his mother telling her “I love you Mom and Gabriel is a good boy,” according to local station KABC. "The letters he wrote, they break me because, you know, I feel that,” Hatami said as he held back tears.
How old was Gabriel Fernandez when he died?
Gabriel Fernandez. Gabriel Fernandez was an eight-year old boy who died at the hands of his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre.
Why did Pearl Fernandez take Gabriel?
Pearl Fernandez reportedly only took in Gabriel for welfare benefits despite concerns from her family that she was neglectful toward her other children , and that became apparent after his death. After joining his mothers residence, Gabriel joined a new school, where his new teacher Jennifer Garcia began to notice signs that pointed to abuse. ...
What was Pearl Fernandez sentenced to?
Pearl Fernandez pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and recieved a life sentence in prison without parole.
Who were Gabriel's supervisors?
Gabriel’s intial case worker, along with another- Patricia Clement, and their supervisors, Gregory Merritt and Kevin Bom were charged with felony accounts of child abuse and falsifying public records.
What happened to Gabriel in the Hell House?
With Gabriel still trapped inside what some call a ‘hell house,’ Gabriel continued to go to school with worsened injuries such as patches of hair missing, scabs on his scalp, injured lips, and bruises all over his face after his mother shot him in the face with a BB gun.
Who was Gabriel's social worker?
The call landed in the hands of Stefanie Rodriguez, a social worker. Nothing ever came of the case, as Rodriguez never adequately made the inquiries needed to determine the condition of Gabriel’s home life.
What did Jennifer Garcia ask Gabriel about?
He also asked her if it was normal to bleed. Jennifer Garcia took it upon herself to report the exhange between her and Gabriel to the Los Angeles County child abuse hotline. The call landed in the hands of Stefanie Rodriguez, a social worker. ...
Who was Gabriel Fernandez's mother?
His mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauro ...
Why did Pearl Fernandez get custody of Gabriel?
Abuse. In 2012, Pearl Fernandez, the biological mother of Gabriel Fernandez, was given child custody of Gabriel, reportedly to gain welfare benefits. She was given custody despite concerns from her family, who had been taking care of Gabriel, that she was neglectful towards other children.
How many women were on the jury in the Gabriel Fernandez trial?
Additionally, they were told the trial involved “extensive internal and external injuries” of the victim. The jury composition was seven women and five men. When the trial began, jurors were given details about the extensive abuse Gabriel Fernandez went through in the months preceding his fatal beating.
What happened to Gabriel?
Throughout his eight-month stay in the household, Gabriel was abused and tortured. On May 22, 2013, Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre severely beat Gabriel and he was transported to the hospital by emergency services.
Was Fernandez removed from the household?
However, Fernandez was never removed from the household. This led to several concerns over the effectiveness and efficiency of social services in Los Angeles County, and ultimately led to four social workers being criminally charged in Los Angeles Superior Court .
When will the trial of Gabriel Fernandez be released on Netflix?
The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a six-part crime documentary that premiered on Netflix in 2020. Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the documentary details the murder of Gabriel Fernandez and subsequent responses by the media and local government .
Who prosecuted Isauro Aguirre?
Isauro Aguirre pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder with special circumstances of torture, and the case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami and Deputy District Attorney Scott Yang.
Who killed Gabriel Fernandez?
Gabriel Fernandez was killed by his mom and her boyfriend in 2013 after a months-long campaign of torture. By Greg Hanlon and Christine Pelisek. February 28, 2020 12:36 PM.
How old was Gabriel Fernandez when he died?
RELATED: Netflix Documentary Explores Death of 8-Year-Old Gabriel Fernandez After Abuse by Mom, Boyfriend
What did the judge call Gabriel's abuse?
The judge called the abuse Gabriel suffered “horrendous, inhumane and nothing short of evil.”
What did Knappenberger say to the first responders?
Knappenberger added, “It’s one of the first things he told the first responders when the first responders entered the house and were trying to save Gabriel’s life. So take from that which you will, but it certainly played a role.”. 4. Deputies Visited Gabriel’s Home Multiple Times ‘But Found No Signs of Abuse’.
What did Gabriel's brother testify about?
Gabriel’s older brother testified that Gabriel was forced to eat cat feces and cat litter and prosecutors said he “slept bound and gagged inside a small cabinet.”. The brother also testified, “My mom and her boyfriend made Gabriel eat spoiled stuff or expired stuff.”.
Where was Gabriel Fernandez found?
On May 22, 2013, Gabriel was found naked, with a cracked skull, shattered ribs, severe burns and BB pellets buried in his body at his family’s home in Palmdale. He was declared brain dead and taken off life support two days later. Gabriell Fernandez - victim of Isauro Aguirre.Credit: Facebook. Gabriel Fernandez.
How long did Gabriel's mother and boyfriend conspire?
Los Angeles County prosecutors said in court Gabriel was the victim of an eight-month-long campaign of terror by his mother and her boyfriend, who were “conspiring together to deceive everyone in order to torture [him] to death,” after he moved to live with them in 2012, NBC Los Angeles reports.
How old was Gabriel Fernandez when he died?
The documentary explores the death of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, who was, over the course of a number of months, tortured and beaten to death by his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauru Aguirre. Gabriel died in 2013. Before Gabriel died, there was significant evidence, observed by many people in his life ...
When did the Fernandez case go to court?
They require a renewed commitment to our values, which will also require rethinking systems of power and money. (In the Fernandez case, on January 8th 2020, a California Court of Appeals threw out the case against the social workers.)
Why was Pearl Fernandez removed from the family?
He was removed from that environment for reasons that included both homophobia and a desire on the part of Pearl Fernandez to increase the amount of money that she was receiving from welfare.
Did the sheriff's office investigate Gabriel's home?
The sheriff’s office was also aware of the possibility of violence inside of Gabriel’s home. They conducted an investigation that ultimately led nowhere, but they did not inform the prosecutor in the case that an investigation had ever occurred. Despite the fact that their actions in this case might also be viewed as criminally negligent, charges were not filed against any members of the sheriff’s department.
Was Gabriel's family aware of his birth mother?
Based on the documentary’s reporting, it seems clear that Gabriel’s extended family was aware from the time of his birth that living with his birth mother would not be a safe environment for Gabriel. For the first three years after the child was born, his great-uncle and his partner raised him.
Was Gabriel's death a homicide?
The medical examiner later confirmed that the death was a homicide —the people who were supposed to care for him had beaten Gabriel to death. They were both arrested and tried for capital murder in the death of the eight-year-old boy. The autopsy revealed that Gabriel’s stomach contained no food.
When did Gabriel die?
Gabriel died in 2013. Before Gabriel died, there was significant evidence, observed by many people in his life that severe abuse was occurring. Bruises at various stages of the healing process were visible all over his body. Witnesses observed what appeared to be burns from cigarettes being put out all over his shaved head.
Who is Gabriel Fernandez's mother?
Hatami was interviewed for the recent Netflix documentary, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez,” which documented the abuse and death of 8-year-old Gabriel at the hands of his mother, Pearl Fernandez, and her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, in 2013. Hatami, who tried the case, said it was worst abuse case he’d seen in his career.
What happened to Gabriel before he was murdered?
Over the eight months before Gabriel's murder, he was severely abused, including being shot with a BB gun, burned, being forced to eat cat litter and being locked in a small cupboard for hours in his Palmdale, Calif. , home.
Who is the prosecutor for Noah Cuatro?
Hatami is currently the prosecutor on the case of 4-year-old Noah Cuatro, another Palmdale boy, who spent eight months before his death in the custody of his parents where he allegedly suffered abuse. He had been taken out of their home by DCFS more than once before his alleged murder.
How many people did DCFS hire after Gabriel's death?
DCFS released a statement after the documentary came out, saying they’ve made major changes to their organization since Gabriel’s death, including hiring more than 3,500 workers and implementing a five-to-one ratio of supervisors to social workers. They also noted that they aided the documentary’s producers by providing a ride-along with a social worker in Palmdale and by planning an interview with the department’s Division Chief Ed Fithyan.
Does Hatami still contact Gabriel?
Hatami still keeps in contact with many of Gabriel’s family members, and as he continues to try these types of cases, Gabriel remains with him.
How did Gabriel die?
An autopsy revealed injuries that included a cracked skull, broken ribs, burns, bruises, abrasions, and missing teeth. Pellets from a BB gun were found embedded in his skin.
What injuries did Gabriel have?
An autopsy revealed injuries that included a cracked skull, broken ribs, burns, bruises, abrasions, and missing teeth. Pellets from a BB gun were found embedded in his skin.
Did Gabriel's teacher report abuse?
Deputies also failed to properly investigate when Gabriel’s teacher reported abuse, after he expressed a desire to commit suicide to a counselor, after allegations of sexual abuse were reported, and after a county worker reported seeing Gabriel covered in bruises and burns. The latest chance for deputies to save Gabriel’s life came just a week before he died after school officials reported his absence from school and concerns for his safety.
Overview
Legal proceedings
On May 23, 2013, Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre were arrested; Fernandez was arrested for felony child endangerment while Aguirre was arrested for attempted murder. However, when Gabriel died, Fernandez and Aguirre were both charged with first degree murder with special circumstances of torture; prosecutors pursued the death penalty.
Pearl Fernandez pled guilty on February 15, 2018, to her charge as part of a plea deal to avoid th…
Victim
Gabriel Daniel Fernandez was born on February 20, 2005 to Arnold Contreras and Pearl Fernandez. Shortly after birth, Gabriel was put in the custody of his great-uncle on his mother’s side, Michael Lemos Carranza, and his partner David Martinez. They continued to raise Fernandez for four years. In 2009, four-year-old Gabriel moved in with his grandparents, due to his grandfather's objection to Carranza’s and Martinez’s same-sex relationship. He lived with his gra…
Abuse and murder
Throughout his eight-month stay in the household of Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre, Gabriel Fernandez was systematically abused and tortured. The abuse included regular physical beatings causing broken bones, being forced to eat cat litter and feces, his own vomit, and spoiled or expired foods, being burned with cigarettes, being shot with a BB gunin various areas of the body, including …
Perpetrators
Pearl Sinthia Fernandez was born on August 29, 1983, to Robert and Sandra Fernandez. During her childhood her father was in and out of jail, and Fernandez has claimed that her mother did not love her and would hit her as a child. At the age of nine, Fernandez began using methamphetamine and drinking alcohol, and at the age of eleven, Fernandez decided to run away from home. She dropped …
Controversy of governmental response
In the months preceding his death, Fernandez showed his injuries or reported the abuse to a security guard, family members, and a teacher, which led to several calls to social services to no avail. After being hit with the metal buckle side of a belt, he asked his teacher, Jennifer Garcia, if it's "normal to bleed." In response, Garcia called social services and was later called by social worker Stefanie Rodriguez informing her that she was assigned to the case. On another day, Fer…
Media portrayal
The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a six-part crime documentary that premiered on Netflix in 2020. Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the documentary details the murder of Gabriel Fernandez and subsequent responses by the media and local government.
See also
• Murder of Zachary Turner
• Murder of Sylvia Likens
• Murder of Anthony Avalos
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