Mother pleads guilty to torturing 8-year-old son to death because she thought he was gay
Sat. February 17, 2018 11:45 PM by Carlos Santoscoy
Los Angeles, CA -
A Los Angeles woman has pleaded guilty to torturing her 8-year-old son to death because she thought he might be gay.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree murder.
In November, a jury found Isauro Aguirre, Fernandez's boyfriend, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Gabriel Fernandez. Aguirre, who is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, faces the death penalty.
On May 22, 2013, Pearl Fernandez, 34, called 911 to report that Gabriel was not breathing. Authorities found the boy naked in a bedroom, his skull cracked, three ribs broken and BB pellets embedded in his lung and groin. He died from his injuries two days later in a hospital.
Prosecutor Jon Hatami said during Aguirre's trial that text messages between Aguirre and Fernandez prove that they conspired to torture and kill Gabriel. He also claimed that the couple "called 911 to cover up what they did." During Aguirre's trial, Hatami told jurors that Aguirre hated Gabriel because he suspected the boy was gay.
After a brief court proceeding in which Hatami told Fernandez that pleading guilty means she will "never" be released from prison, Gabriel's cousin, Emily Carranza, said that she was relieved.
"It brings relief," Carranza said. "I know she's never doing to be out, and I know she's never going to hurt another child."
According to The Los Angeles Times, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree murder.
In November, a jury found Isauro Aguirre, Fernandez's boyfriend, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Gabriel Fernandez. Aguirre, who is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, faces the death penalty.
On May 22, 2013, Pearl Fernandez, 34, called 911 to report that Gabriel was not breathing. Authorities found the boy naked in a bedroom, his skull cracked, three ribs broken and BB pellets embedded in his lung and groin. He died from his injuries two days later in a hospital.
Prosecutor Jon Hatami said during Aguirre's trial that text messages between Aguirre and Fernandez prove that they conspired to torture and kill Gabriel. He also claimed that the couple "called 911 to cover up what they did." During Aguirre's trial, Hatami told jurors that Aguirre hated Gabriel because he suspected the boy was gay.
After a brief court proceeding in which Hatami told Fernandez that pleading guilty means she will "never" be released from prison, Gabriel's cousin, Emily Carranza, said that she was relieved.
"It brings relief," Carranza said. "I know she's never doing to be out, and I know she's never going to hurt another child."
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