PALMDALE, Calif., May 28 (UPI) — A California woman and her boyfriend are charged with capital murder in the death of the woman’s 8-year-old son, prosecutors said.
Pearl Fernandez, 29, and Isauro Aguirre, 32, were taken into custody after Gabriel was found barely breathing and with broken bones last Wednesday in the apartment the three shared in Palmdale, Calif., KNBC-TV, Los Angeles reported.
Police responding to an emergency call found the boy with numerous injuries indicative of child abuse, KTLA-TV, Los Angeles said. Fernandez was arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse and Aguirre on suspicion of attempted murder.
The boy died Friday in the hospital, the Los Angeles Times said.
Charges against the couple were upgraded Tuesday to one count each of capital murder with the special circumstance of torture, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
At a rally outside the apartment Monday, protesters faulted the county’s Department of Child and Family Services for failing to respond to reports of abuse.
Copyright 2013 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).
