When his body was discovered, it showed signs of physical abuse and malnutrition. "No one deserves this," Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami told the court in closing arguments Thursday. 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. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. All rights reserved. Both of the adults would punish them by making the children kneel on rice, and Leiva sometimes used his foot to put pressure on their knees, causing them to bleed, she alleged. They could not see injuries to his head that appeared severe enough to explain the little boy's near-death state. Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta is hearing the case of Heather Maxine Barron, 33, and Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 37, as a result of a decision by both sides to waive their right to a jury trial. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Anthony Avalos died from a suspicious bleed to the brain in 2018, Heather Barron was accused of killing her son Anthony, Kareem Ernesto Leiva allegedly encouraged others to beat up the 10-year-old, according to authorities, Antony Avalos was allegedly dangled from a height and repeatedly dropped on his head, Antony with his aunt Maria Barron, who reported abuse, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Both Barron and Leiva were arrested. The murder count includes the special circumstance allegation of murder involving the infliction of torture. Around five years later, the same institution's failure apparently led to the death of another young boy, Anthony Avalos. . He is flanked by the family's attorney, Brian Claypool, and David and Maria Barron . "Cause of death would be blunt force head trauma.". 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. Gabriel Fernandez, 8, was tortured to death. "This case is a case of severe abuse, but as to Mr. Leiva, it is not a murder," the defense lawyer told the judge. 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. The boy's relatives sued the county, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors officially authorized a $32 million . The couple is also suspected of starving and force-feeding the boy, while he was allegedly also thrown into furniture and walls. They're nothing short of monsters for what they did, Hatami said. "This kind of level, you have to have accumulated those kinds of repeated injuries," Lwin said. In the wake of Anthony's death, the county issued a report saying the circumstances, while "horrible, heartbreaking and apparently brutal," were "very dissimilar" to Gabriel's death. "Anthony Avalos graduated from the fourth grade on June 7, 2018 and for two consecutive weeks he was abused and tortured every day," Teymouri said. 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. His aunt, Karla Avalos, previouslytold NBC News: "I'm mad, because there was multiple reports done What is wrong with the system?". Garcia is the biological father of one of Heather Barron's children - Angel. In his closing argument, the prosecutor told the judge, I do believe that you will see this was intentional murder by torture.. Two weeks later, with no one to monitor his well-being, he was . 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. He was malnourished, suffered from cuts and burns and was repeatedly hit with belts. Barron called Avalos a faggot in front of relatives, and Leiva admitted that he did not feel comfortable being in near proximity to homosexuals. [4] DCFS followed up eight times. "He'd say it was Kareem that did it. 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 . ", The murder count includes the special circumstance allegation of murder involving the infliction of torture. Lying is not an intent to kill, Sperber said of Barron's initial statements to investigators. The following day, Anthony died in hospital; his cause of death was a traumatic brain injury and a bleed on the brain. A coroner testified Tuesday that a Lancaster boy who died of alleged abuse by his mother and her ex-boyfriend had severe blunt force injuries to his brain. During his opening statement, Deputy District Attorney Saeed Teymouri told the judge that Barron and Leiva tortured and abused Anthony for two weeks before his death, while an attorney for Leiva countered that his client should be acquitted of murder. All this defence discussion about time of death is intended to . ', Southern California storm: Heavy rain, mountain snow, gusty winds expected, 'Miracle' dog survives 17 days in Big Bear snowstorm before reuniting with family. But DCFS and grand jury records and interviews show striking similarities in the two deaths that occurred within a 15-minute drive in the Antelope Valley. "He admitted to brutalizing Anthony, he confessed to every single act of violence and torture, and he runs away from every bit of damage that he creates.". Anthony Avalos trial closing arguments. If convicted of all charges, Barron and Leiva face life in prison. Got a tip? Anthonys uncle David Barron who is Heather Barrons brother previously told PEOPLE he doesnt know if his sister or her boyfriend knew whether Anthony told others he liked boys. But he says that the widespread abuse in the home that authorities allege seemed to point to something more endemic. One of Leiva's attorneys said in his opening statement that the evidence would demonstrate that there is reasonable doubt involving the murder charge against his client. Anthony Avalos April 20, 2003 - February 3, 2021 Bradenton, Florida - Anthony Avalos, 17, of Bradenton, FL passed away February 3, 2021. Pictured above: Anthony Avalos, 10, was found with severe injuries at his family's apartment in Lancaster last month. The lawsuit contended that multiple social workers failed to properly respond to reports of abuse of Anthony and his siblings. ", Leiva's defense attorney Dan Chambers told the judge this case "can't be decided on emotion. Atty. She told the judge that Leiva survived his own attempt to slit his throat because he is so evil that the devil didn't even want him. A week before his death, he mentioned he liked . The mother of Anthony Avalos and her ex-boyfriend now await verdicts in the murder and torture trial that could send them to prison for the rest of their lives. 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. In the years leading up to his death, Barron and Leiva allegedly abused Avalos and his siblings . Anthony Avalos suffered at least five days of sustained torture that culminated in the 10-year-old boys death last month, Los Angeles County prosecutors allege in new court papers. Anthonys mother asserted her innocence, claiming she was also the victim of Leivas abuse. Those inconsistencies in the evidence will be apparent and once we demonstrate that it will show that what the children claim they say Mr. Leiva doing is inconsistent with the medical evidence, the defense attorney said. 24 Feb 2023 07:20:47 By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. This was four years of abuse and 14 straight days of torture, starvation, dehydration and then murder. Dan Chambers said the two major issues will be a lack of intent to kill and the issues of causation.. "This is all she has ever known," adding that Barron was overwhelmed by having seven babies in eight years. Last October, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors formally approved a $32 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by the boy's relatives two of whom testified last week that they notified the county's Department of Children and Family Services about the alleged abuse. Dan Chambers said the two major issues will be a lack of intent to kill and the issues of causation.. Palma testified that she considered herself a stepmother to Angel when she lived with his father between 2015 and 2020. Dark red spots showed multiple subdural hematomas - a type of bleeding that occurs between the skull and the surface of the brain. 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. This is what a judge had to say. "I would never think anyone could survive that injury, but he did," Sperber said. The trend is continuing this week as Avalos' teacher took the stand to share his story from her perspective, including a heartbreaking letter he wrote her just two weeks before he died. Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta is hearing the case of Heather Maxine Barron, 33, and Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 37, as a result of a decision by both sides to waive their right to a jury trial. But child protective workers and others tasked with protecting Anthony missed numerous warnings and opportunities to intervene before his death, according to dozens of interviews and a review of court records, documents from DCFS and records of outside agencies hired by the county to help Anthony and his family. Prosecutor Hatami told the judge that Anthony died of a combination of things - severe dehydration, starvation, two weeks of torture, not being taken to the hospital and blunt force trauma to his head. Theyre nothing short of monsters for what they did, L.A. County Deputy Dist. Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report. He confessed to every single act of violence and torture.. The prosecutor said Barron and Leiva weren't trying to save Anthony but were trying to save themselves when Barron called 911 on June 20, 2018, after the boy was left on the floor for about two days following about two weeks of abuse. His mother, Heather Barron, and her boyfriend, Kareem Leiva, were charged with first-degree murder with . Videos. Barron and Garcia split custody of Angel 50-50 until soon after Angel showed up one day with a large scratch on his leg. Barbara Dixon provided in-home counseling to both boys, whose deaths spotlighted egregious lapses in L.A. Countys child welfare system. 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. ", Soon after that, Barron asked Palma and Garcia to take Angel full-time. LANCASTER, Calif. - A prosecutor told a judge Wednesday . Over the last few days of his life, Avalos was tortured repeatedly. Lwin added that Anthony's severe dehydration only made things worse, contributing to blood clots in his brain. In the latest twist, court documents revealed the county assigned Barbara Dixon to work with the family despite allegations she failed spot abuse in the case of dead eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, whose case was turned into a popular Netflix documentary. It is also claimed that the child had hot sauce poured . Trial begins for Anthony Avalos' mother and her boyfriend, accused of abusing him for years before his death exposed failings in L.A. County's social services. She didnt have the power to prevent this. Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami displayed an image of the outer layer of Anthony's brain. A prosecutor told a judge on Thursday that a Lancaster woman and her boyfriend are evil and monsters'' and should be held accountable for the murder and torture of her 10-year-old son, while the woman's attorney countered that her client should be acquitted of the most serious charges. Like Gabriel, Anthony had been under the supervision of the DCFS sporadically over a three to four-year period. 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. and Rafael O.. Pennsylvania. In a recorded interview with detectives, Leiva admitted to forcing Anthony, Destiny and Rafael to kneel on uncooked rice as punishment. Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Encino woman extradited from Montenegro to serve sentence for COVID loan fraud, Jesus Revolution tells the true story of Christian hippies and an Orange County church, Mullholland Drive to be closed at least 24 hours, home evacuated due to mud flow in Beverly Crest, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. His death was the result of repeated beatings at the hands of his mother, Heather Barron, and her boyfriend, Kareem Leiva, prosecutors alleged during closing arguments at the couples murder trial in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday. Horrifyingly, this was just one of the alleged torture methods they are are accused of inflicting on him before his death, according to authorities. Track SoCal rain with LIVE Megadoppler 7000 HD. The prosecutor said there was a very long list of torture that Anthony suffered at the hands of both defendants, including being hit with belts and cords. The boys were also allegedly forbidden from exiting the room to leave the bathroom, which led to further punishment if they soiled themselves. Boy, 10, Who Was Tortured to Death Was Allegedly Forced to Wrestle Brother While Mom Watched Anthony Avalos died in June one day after being found unresponsive in his family's California home A second coroner, Dr. Juan Carrillo, also took the stand on Tuesday. 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