Judge expected to dismiss charges against social workers in death of Gabriel Fernandez

(KYMA, KECY)-A judge is expected Thursday to dismiss charges against four social workers who were accused of failing to protect eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez.

Gabriel died in May 2013 and his mother and her boyfriend were later convicted of torturing and murdering him. Evidence at trial indicated months of beatings and torture, reports ABC 7 News.

Social workers Stefanie Rodriguez, 35 and Patricia Clement, 69, and supervisors Kevin Bom, 41, and Gregory Merritt, 64, had each been charged with one felony count of child abuse and one felony count of falsifying public records. Prosecutors say they failed to take the appropriate steps to protect Gabriel and then falsified documents related to his case.

In June 2018, Isauro Aguirre, the mothers' boyfriend was sentenced to death for the boy's first-degree murder and a special circumstance allegation of murder involving torture. The mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez was sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading to first-degree murder and admitting the torture allegation.

[RELATED STORY: Living in hell: The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez]