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Podcasts Take Two
DCFS director responds to child abuse charges against social workers
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Apr 8, 2016
Listen 8:32
DCFS director responds to child abuse charges against social workers
Four social workers have been charged with child abuse and falsifying records in the 2013 death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez.
Gabriel Fernandez, 8, of Palmdale, was tortured and murdered, allegedly by his mother and her boyfriend.
Gabriel Fernandez, 8, of Palmdale, was tortured and murdered, allegedly by his mother and her boyfriend. Four county child services workers involved with his case have been notified they will be fired.
(
NBC L.A.
)

Four social workers have been charged with child abuse and falsifying records in the 2013 death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez.

About three years ago, an 8-year-old boy, Gabriel Fernandez, was found in his home in Palmdale, California. 

His skull was cracked, three ribs were broken, he had BB pellets embedded in his lung and groin. Two days later, Fernandez died. 

The boy's mother and her boyfriend were charged with murder in his death.

Then, yesterday, additional allegations— four L.A. County social workers were charged with felony child abuse and falsifying public records in connection with the case. 

Philip Browning, Director of the Department of Children and Family Services, joined Take Two to discuss the charges.



"One of the things I'm asking staff to do is to look at each case individually. Our primary goal... is safety of the child. So if our workers have a reason to believe that safety is at issue, then they need to take the proper precautions, which include going to the court and getting a warrant to allow removal. But I don't want our workers to change the way they're doing business so that they take every child out of the home. Because that's not what we really need to do."

To hear the full interview, click the link above.