The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

[karenjet]

Has anyone watched? I watched yesterday and it is truly horrific. If you get very affected by stories and images of child abuse then you’d better avoid this one.

I can’t get it off my mind. It’s one of the worst cases of child abuse I’ve ever heard. And he was let down by the system time and time again. It’s just heartbreaking

 

[orangelolly]

I'm just watching episode 3. It reminds me of the Victoria Climbie case

 

[Theycallher_]

As a social worker in frontline child protection i find it devastating to watch. Being in this line of work, I see the most horrific things that happen to children and I know how passionate I am to safeguard those in need. I can’t comprehend how those practitioners failed to intervene but equally, the deep rooted evil of his mother and boyfriend sickens me to the core. Poor poor boy

 

[Halliestar]

Ten minutes into watching it I was already a mess. It’s so sad . I’ve only watched episode one so far but I remember reading about it in the paper. I’m sure I read his mum and her fella thought he was gay as well which they didn’t like

 

[Hinchhater1442]

I’m almost at the end of episode one and dreading what else we’re going to hear about. Already so incredibly sad.

 

[Web30]

I binged it in 2 days. So many questions... Did his uncles officially adopt him as a baby or did they just have him?

How did his mum come back in to his life? I might have missed that info.

The poor teacher did everything she could, which wasn't much thanks to the law!

Were his other siblings abused or was it just him that was targeted?

 

[orangelolly]

I binged it in 2 days. So many questions... Did his uncles officially adopt him as a baby or did they just have him?

How did his mum come back in to his life? I might have missed that info.

The poor teacher did everything she could, which wasn't much thanks to the law!

Were his other siblings abused or was it just him that was targeted?

I haven't finished watching it all yet but here's what I think the answers are
Pearl walked out of the hospital and left Gabriel when he was born so I think the Uncles took him on.
Gabriel went to live with his grandmother but then they said she was no longer able to care for him so I think that's when he went back to his Mum.
I'm sure they said the others weren't abused and that Pearl hit Virginia (I think that's his sisters name) once. Gabriel was the escape goat of the family.

 

[HitchhikingGhost]

It also said his mum took him back to increase their welfare/benefits cheque

 

[Queenie]

So disturbing. How that poor child must have suffered. The prosecutor was amazing, you could tell it affected him deeply.
Harrowing.

 

[karenjet]

Ten minutes into watching it I was already a mess. It’s so sad . I’ve only watched episode one so far but I remember reading about it in the paper. I’m sure I read his mum and her fella thought he was gay as well which they didn’t like

They did! That was the first thing the mum’s boyfriend said to the paramedics when they arrived! As if that was his excuse

 

[jeaner]

It was incredibly difficult to watch, the pictures of his injuries especially. The poor, poor innocent little boy. What must he have thought about it all?!
The most shocking part for me was the complete lack of emotion or remorse from both his mother and Isauro. They didn't shed a tear throughout the whole trial.

 

[Kat_Valentine]

This was the most harrowing thing I’ve seen in a long time. That poor boy, my heart was broken watching it. And then the thing about the Mother’s Day card finished me off Those two fuckers are beyond evil. Every single thing about what they did to him just gets worse and worse.

 

[Its_Me]

I read about it before I watched it and felt I was prepared but omg just when you think it can’t get any worse it does

Can you believe one of the jurors didn’t agree on convicting the man!!

 

[CandyPink99]

I read about it before I watched it and felt I was prepared but omg just when you think it can’t get any worse it does

Can you believe one of the jurors didn’t agree on convicting the man!!

He did agree on conviction he just wasn’t 100% it was premeditated

 

[Its_Me]

He did agree on conviction he just wasn’t 100% it was premeditated

Yah. My bad didn’t know the correct wording.

 

[EiiiEiiiO]

I remember when it happened but I hadn’t realized just how many people failed to intervene. It’s disgusting. It happened again and will happen again and again bc these public departments are bleeping worthless and lack any accountability.
Yes the “mother” (she is no mother) and bf actually committed the acts but the CPS and cops are 100% to blame too by knowingly turning their backs and allowing it to continue.

 

[Its_Me]

I remember when it happened but I hadn’t realized just how many people failed to intervene. It’s disgusting. It happened again and will happen again and again bc these public departments are bleeping worthless and lack any accountability.
Yes the “mother” (she is no mother) and bf actually committed the acts but the CPS and cops are 100% to blame too by knowingly turning their backs and allowing it to continue.

I felt so sorry for the teacher. I think she genuinely cared. The way she looked at them both at the end of her speech in the court.

 

[EiiiEiiiO]

I felt so sorry for the teacher. I think she genuinely cared. The way she looked at them both at the end of her speech in the court.

I do too but at the same time she could have done more I think. And I think she does feel guilty. I know she cared that was obvious but she could have called 911 and waited for the cops to come (maybe it wouldn’t have been the sheriffs dept) and then gone straight to the hospital w him. The pictures of him with the black eye, cigarette burns on his head that she took with his “mom” sign.. how the hell do you let him walk out of school to go back to that! I think she was worried about her job but if you call CPS and they don’t do anything.. step up!
If poor Gabriel had made it to the hospital and was seen in that condition .. game over. We do not allow the parents anywhere near them, police immediately in the room and guarding the door..
it’s just so fucked up this poor baby has not one person help him. Not one.

 

[Its_Me]

I do too but at the same time she could have done more I think. And I think she does feel guilty. I know she cared that was obvious but she could have called 911 and waited for the cops to come (maybe it wouldn’t have been the sheriffs dept) and then gone straight to the hospital w him. The pictures of him with the black eye, cigarette burns on his head that she took with his “mom” sign.. how the hell do you let him walk out of school to go back to that! I think she was worried about her job but if you call CPS and they don’t do anything.. step up!
If poor Gabriel had made it to the hospital and was seen in that condition .. game over. We do not allow the parents anywhere near them, police immediately in the room and guarding the door..
it’s just so fucked up this poor baby has not one person help him. Not one.

She totally could have done more but I felt she maybe felt at a loss. But yeh, if it was me I would have probably even broken some laws to keep him safe like taking home till someone did something.

I feel so devastated for him and knowing that there’s more babies out there going through similar situations we just don’t know about it because they aren't dead yet

 

[EiiiEiiiO]

She totally could have done more but I felt she maybe felt at a loss. But yeh, if it was me I would have probably even broken some laws to keep him safe like taking home till someone did something.

I feel so devastated for him and knowing that there’s more babies out there going through similar situations we just don’t know about it because they aren't dead yet

I agree, and I think it was a combo of at a loss and scared to do more.. I’ve worked as a nurse for 20 yrs and have seen abuse (not on this level thankfully) but 100% if I have to break the law to keep them away from their abusers.. hell yes! Think about it let’s say you get arrested for breaking the law In regards to doing more, what jury/judge would actually convict someone helping a defenseless child!? And say somehow you get convicted, you probably get probation. I just think it’s a no brainer.
I know, that’s the horrendous part isn’t it? We know there are so so so many more suffering daily and like you said, until they die.. we don’t know. duck it’s heart breaking