LOS ANGELES -- Anthony Avalos would be in ninth grade if he were still alive today. Both Barron and Leiva were arrested. "He admits to doing some bad things, but he didn't do them in a vacuum," Chambers said. The lawsuit cited other high-profile deaths of children who were also being monitored by the DCFS -- 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez and 4-year-old Noah Cuatro, both of Palmdale -- to allege "systemic failures" in the agency. Jonathan Hatami said as Barron stared blankly ahead, not looking up. It remains unclear why the alleged deadly abuse of Anthony occurred, though DCFS officials have suggested it could be because of Anthonys perceived sexuality after he allegedly stated that he liked boys. Another theory was that Anthony was fathered by a man other than Leiva, unlike Barrons other children. ", Soon after that, Barron asked Palma and Garcia to take Angel full-time. Got a tip? Audiences are willing to know about Noah Cuatro Autopsy Report. Avalos mother and her boyfriend are accused of torturing the 10-year-old Lancaster boy for days before his death in 2018. Victor Avalos, Anthonys father, grieved with the family during a protest at the Department of Child and Family Services in Los Angeles in 2018. Its reporting and editing staff cover public safety, courts, local government and general assignment stories. Los Angeles County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for a mother and her boyfriend with accused of murdering and torturing Anthony Avalos, the woman's 10-year-old son. Defense attorney Chambers also told the judge to consider whether Anthony died of the severe dehydration or the blunt force trauma to his brain. One of Leiva's daughters, who is now 18, testified that she also saw her father repeatedly dropping Anthony on the floor and that the boy appeared to be dead when she saw him two days later. The prosecutor said the boy was "already brain dead" and had been lying on the floor in the family's townhouse "for at least a day, possibly more" when Barron called 911 to seek assistance for the boy, and that the two "concocted a story that Anthony Avalos had injured himself.". Barron and Leiva were charged in June 2018 with the boys killing and were subsequently indicted by a Los Angeles County grand jury in October 2018. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) For the record: 9:06 p.m. Jan. 25, 2023: A previous version of this article indicated the trial started Tuesday. Barron and Leiva are charged with one count each of murder and torture involving the June 2018 death of Anthony Avalos, along with two counts of child abuse involving the boy's half-siblings, identified in court as "Destiny O." A second coroner, Dr. Juan Carrillo, also took the stand on Tuesday. However, the L.A. Office of Child Protection reviewed how DCFS had reviewed Anthonys case and said the question of whether the case was properly handled cannot be answered.. Together, they were deadly, Hatami told the judge, explaining that Barron was the one who came up with many of these torture techniques and that she chose Leiva to act as the enforcer for the discipline used on the boy and two of his half-siblings. After closing arguments, Judge Ohta said he would take the case under deliberation. This case is a case of severe abuse, but as to Mr. Leiva, it is not a murder, the defense lawyer told the judge at the start of the trial. Palma testified that she considered herself a stepmother to Angel when she lived with his father between 2015 and 2020. Heather Barron's defense attorney argued that Leiva is responsible for Anthony's death and that Barron suffered from battered woman's syndrome, living in fear of Leiva. Anthony died after being found unresponsive a day before his death at his familys house in Lancaster, California, outside Los Angeles, where he and his six younger siblings lived with Anthonys mom, Heather Barron, 29, and her live-in boyfriend, 32-year-old Kareem Leiva. The mother of Anthony Avalos, a boy who came out as gay weeks before his death, has been arrested and charged with his murder By Alexia Fernndez Published on June 30, 2018 12:30 AM It has subsequently been claimed that homophobia may have been a factor in Anthony's death - in the same way as it was for Gabriel. They initially said that Anthony threw himself to the ground and and that he refused to eat, but later testified that they were told to lie to authorities by Barron and Leiva. Also on the stand Tuesday was Roxana Palma, the ex-girlfriend of Carlos Garcia. Anthony Avalos 's mother Heather Barron and her boyfriend Kareem Leiva, will will stand trial beginning Sept. 26, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami confirmed to Oxygen.com on Friday. "Based on the evidence, this clearly was sadistic.". Palma says Heather told her that "she didn't want to deal with accusations anymore of Angel coming home hurt with bruises and scratches.". The judge who is not expected to announce an immediate decision is set to hear later Thursday from an attorney representing Leiva. . They're nothing short of monsters for what they did, Hatami said. DCFS released Avalos in 2015 after taking him from the family home in 2013. A detective and nurse took the footage to document the 10-year-old's severe injuries shortly before he was taken off life support in June of 2018. Anthonys uncle alleged in a phone call to DCFS that Leiva apparently had beaten and dangled Anthony out of a second-story window by his ankles. [3], During his autopsy, Avalos's body showed clear signs of sustained abuse. ", The murder count includes the special circumstance allegation of murder involving the infliction of torture. Leiva is claimed to have encouraged his eight siblings to fight and allegedly told them to beat Anthony up, according to court documents. Two weeks later, with no one to monitor his well-being, he was dead, his battered body covered with bruises, lesions and bloody scrapes from the lashes of belts and electrical cables. Pennsylvania. The defense lawyer said Leiva had been left alone with the boy who was at home while being punished while Barron took her other children on errands, and was in another room at other times caring for her three youngest children, who had been fathered by Leiva. Relatives of the deceased boy have reached a settlement with LA County over the damning mishandling of Anthony's case, a judge said on Thursday. The child's mother, Heather Maxine Barron, 29, placed the call from the family residence, an apartment in Lancaster on 1100 East Avenue K. When police arrived at the scene they found Ten-year-old Anthony Avalos unconscious and in critical condition. That is, the body temperature does not add any new information to the known 75 minute window for the time of death. He died June 21. Anthony, NM Show 5 More View Jessica's Relatives & Associates . Barron and Leiva are charged with one count each of murder and torture involving the June 2018 death of Anthony Avalos, along with two counts of child abuse involving the boy's half-siblings . He was malnourished, suffered from cuts and burns and was repeatedly hit with belts. He argued that the lack of severe external head injuries flies in the face of allegations that Leiva is responsible for the boy's death. He told the court that multiple brain injuries ranged in age from one day to three weeks. "I would never think anyone could survive that injury, but he did," Sperber said. In one of the alerts to the child welfare agency, the assistant principal at Anthonys elementary school called to say Anthony told her he was being forced to dig through trash to find food, and that his mom was beating him, according to the grand jury transcripts. Both Barron and Leiva have pleaded not guilty, and Anthony's siblings have been removed from the home. He had a life crossed by addictions and lived for years on the street. The boy's half-siblings testified earlier this month that they had been forced to undergo punishment, including kneeling on uncooked rice, wrestling each other and watching each other be disciplined, and that they saw their mother's boyfriend dropping Anthony repeatedly on the bedroom floor. The two children who say they were tortured alongside Anthony took the stand Wednesday at the murder trial of Leiva and their mother, Heather Barron. Garcia is the biological father of one of Heather Barron's children - Angel. [12] The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office under District Attorney George Gascn subsequently dropped the death penalty option for both Barron and Leiva.[13][14]. "Cause of death would be blunt force head trauma.". "His mom wasn't even there, think about that.". Relatives of a 10-year-old Lancaster boy who died after allegedly being subjected to extensive torture by his mother and her boyfriend lost a round in court Tuesday when a judge . The investigation detailed how DCFS missed clear signals and failed to follow protocol in Anthonys case, leaving him in the custody of Barron and Leiva. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment More posts you may like. In the midst of the abuse, Anthony wrote a suicide note, according to records previously reviewed by The Times. Therapist says she had grave concerns about Anthony Avalos family before childs death, Young woman tells court she saw her dad repeatedly drop Anthony Avalos, 10, on floor, Vice principal reported abuse less than 3 years before the killing of Anthony Avalos in Lancaster, Nurses testimony: Anthony Avalos mother faked emotions, was in waiting room when 10-year-old died, Half-siblings testify about alleged abuse before 10-year-old Lancaster boys death, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, DA Gascn suspends attorney who prosecuted transgender child molester, Reports: Kings trade Quick to Blue Jackets, acquire Korpisalo, Gavrikov, Southern Californias mountain towns remain buried under snow with more on the way, Some California cities cant stop apartment projects as developers use builders remedy, Killer keto? Authorities allege that, over the last five or six days of his life, Anthony suffered a slew of punishments both quick and prolonged punishments that, in addition to kneeling on rice for lengthy periods, included having hot sauce poured on his face and mouth, being whipped with a belt on his body, legs, buttocks and the bottom of his feet, and being repeatedly held upside-down and dropped on his head. . Hatami told the judge that the prosecution believes the boy died of a combination of starvation and dehydration, blunt force trauma, chronic child abuse and torture and failure to seek medical treatment. In his opening statement to grand jurors in the case, the newly released records indicate that prosecutor Jonathan Hatami said, The evidence will clearly show that Leiva and Barron are ultimately responsible for the torture and eventual murder of Anthony., After the grand jury documents were released, Brian Claypool, an attorney representing the Avalos family including Anthonys father, who lives in Mexico, told the media: We know that Anthony Avalos is in heaven with a little smile on his face today., This case is bigger than Anthony Avalos, he said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, $32-million settlement approved in child abuse death of 10-year-old Anthony Avalos, Anthony Avalos family and L.A. County reach tentative $32-million settlement, Counselor who didnt report abuse of Gabriel Fernandez, Anthony Avalos put on 4-year probation, Prosecutors will no longer seek death penalty in the Anthony Avalos torture case, The horrific death of Anthony Avalos and the many missed chances to save him, After boys death, family sues L.A. Countys child welfare agency for $50 million, Anthony Avalos mother and her boyfriend charged with murder of 10-year-old boy, Years of abuse allegations reported at Lancaster home before boy died, Anthony Avalos was extensively tortured over days before dying, prosecutors allege. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has dropped its bid for the death penalty against a Lancaster mother and her boyfriend charged in the death of 10-year-old Anthony Avalos, a . They have pleaded not guilty to the allegations, and remain jailed with bail set at $2 million for each. He was riddled in bruises, lacerations, burns, and was malnourished. "This case is a case of severe abuse, but as to Mr. Leiva, it is not a murder," the defense lawyer told the judge. Barron and Leiva, arrested in June, are both charged with one count of murder and one count of torture in Anthonys death and one count of child abuse in the alleged beating of the boys younger brother. Anthony had been under . The lawsuit contended that multiple social workers failed to properly respond to reports of abuse of Anthony and his siblings. Noah Goldberg covers breaking news for the Los Angeles Times. CHILLING new details have emerged into the horror death of Anthony Avalos, who authorities claim was killed and tortured by his mom and her boyfriend. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. The innocent 10-year-old died in 2018 after allegedly being brutally beaten and tortured by his mum Heather Barron, 28, and her sicko partner Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 32, who have both pleaded not . They remain jailed without bail. The prosecutor said there was evidence the children were allegedly hit with power cords and vacuum tubes, as well as by Leivas fists. This was not an accident or sudden rage, Hatami said. Anthony Avalos. It's alleged that Anthony was whipped with a belt and vacuum cord, slapped in the face, had dirty diapers thrown at him, force fed hot sauce, his face was pushed into his own urine in the carpet when he wasn't allowed to use the bathroom -- and at times a sock was stuffed into his mouth to quiet his cries. Harry and Meghan evicted from Frogmore Cottage by King Charles after Spare memoir, Emmerdale's Amy Nuttall caught cheating hubby after sexy lingerie slip-up, Constance Marten and lover arrested over manslaughter, Woman found murdered is missing mum who had not been seen since before Xmas, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. "Heather came up with the torture techniques and she got Leiva to do them.". 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