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The dad and mom of a 4-year-old Palmdale boy who was tortured and murdered have been sentenced Tuesday to potential life jail phrases.
Superior Court Judge Robert G. Chu sentenced Jose Maria Cuatro Jr. to 32 years to life in jail, and Ursula Elaine Juarez to 22 years to life for Noah Cuatro’s July 2019 demise, which was initially reported as a drowning.
Cuatro, 32, pleaded no contest March 29 to at least one rely every of first-degree homicide and torture, and Juarez, 30, pleaded no contest to at least one rely every of second-degree homicide and torture.
As a part of their plea deal, each defendants waived their appellate rights.
The judge known as the little boy’s demise a “devastating loss” and stated he wished the sufferer’s relations to know that he noticed “the love from Noah’s household.” He stated he was assured that the boy would by no means be forgotten.
In a press release learn in courtroom by Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami, the boy’s great-grandmother, Evangelina Hernandez, stated Juarez had instructed her at one level that she didn’t just like the boy.
“Why, my God, why is there such evil in you, Ursula? What sort of monster are you, Jose?” the sufferer’s great-grandmother requested the defendants. “You’re each very sick! You are the worst sort of sickos.”
The boy’s great-aunt, Maggie Hernandez, stated she had reminiscences of Juarez as an “harmless little one” — reminiscences that she stated have been changed by her being an abusive dad or mum to Noah.
“She would paint an image of her being an ideal mother whereas abusing Noah behind closed doorways,” she stated. “I’ll always remember him and I’ll always remember the monsters who took him away from us.”
State Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, instructed the judge, “It deserves to be famous that the tragedy of Noah Cuatro has been and can proceed to be felt far past these courtroom partitions. Noah was not solely betrayed by his dad and mom, who’re sitting right here at the moment, however the community established to guard youngsters from mistreatment additionally failed.”
He famous that the little boy had as soon as made the request to “always remember me,” saying that he pledged to “do all I can to honor it by reminding our world, ‘Let’s all bear in mind Noah.’”
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a press release Tuesday saying, “Today’s sentencing is one other step in direction of reaching justice for Noah Cuatro.”
Barger added, “The horrific therapy this little boy suffered by the hands of his dad and mom disgusted me. Life sentences with out the potential of parole would have been most acceptable, for my part, however I respect the judicial and sentencing course of. I’m hopeful at the moment’s sentencing will assist his surviving siblings, grandmother and relations heal and discover some peace. Little Noah’s reminiscence shall be in my coronary heart and thoughts endlessly.”
Outside courtroom, the boy’s great-aunt stated she believed that the county’s Department of Children and Family Services “failed him.”
Also within the Lancaster courtroom in help of the sufferer’s household have been members of the households of 10-year-old Anthony Avalos and 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez, whose moms and their boyfriends have been convicted of homicide in earlier trials.
“It’s a tragic day,” Avalos’ aunt, Maria Barron, instructed reporters exterior courtroom. “I imply it retains occurring over and over … DCFS must be held accountable … Kids are nonetheless dying beneath their care.”
One of Fernandez’s cousins, Emily Carranza, stated, “Eleven years in the past, we stood in the identical place as Noah’s household … We’ve come collectively to help each other.”
Another of Fernandez’s cousins, Olivia Rubio, stated that she by no means met Noah, however that he “holds a spot in my coronary heart identical to Anthony and Gabriel.”
“I hope we don’t have to face right here with one other household and grieve once more as a result of this hurts,” she instructed reporters.
Authorities have been known as after Cuatro and Juarez reported a drowning of their household pool on the 1200 block of East Avenue S round 4 p.m. July 5, 2019.
The teen was taken first to Palmdale Regional Medical Center after which to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the place he was pronounced dead the subsequent day.
Then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva introduced the next week that an investigation was underway into the boy’s demise. The sheriff stated Noah lived together with his dad and mom and three siblings, who have been taken into protecting custody.
The boy’s great-grandmother subsequently filed a wrongful demise lawsuit towards Los Angeles County on behalf of herself and the boy’s sister and two brothers alleging that Noah’s demise occurred after a number of experiences of abuse had already been made to the Department of Children and Family Services.
“Instead of defending Noah and his siblings, DCFS continued to put the youngsters with their abusive dad and mom, the place the youngsters continued to be abused over the course of a number of years,” the go well with alleges.
After Noah’s demise, DCFS social employees made threats towards Hernandez “in an try and silence her,” the lawsuit alleges.
The social employees instructed Hernandez that if she made any public statements about Noah’s case and/or potential lawsuits, she would lose her request for guardianship of her different three great-grandchildren and would by no means see them once more, the go well with states.
Pasadena-based Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services was additionally named as a defendant within the civil lawsuit, which alleges the company knew of or suspected the abuse and misconduct occurring in Noah’s dwelling after the boy was despatched to the company by DCFS for psychological well being providers, however didn’t report it.
Hathaway-Sycamores has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
“Noah’s demise was tragic and all of us mourn his passing,” Hathaway-Sycamores CEO Debbie Manners stated in a press release. “However, as we have now clearly said previously, Sycamores had no information of any abuse impacting Noah and likewise didn’t present providers to him whereas he was residing together with his dad and mom. … Sycamores just isn’t concerned on this legal matter and we have now aggressively denied any legal responsibility associated to ongoing civil litigation related to the case.”
The DCFS beforehand issued a press release relating to Noah’s demise.
“At any given time, the Department of Children and Family Services serves greater than 34,000 households and susceptible youngsters in Los Angeles County with an unwavering dedication to pursue little one security day by day in our communities,” the assertion learn. “Our 9,000 staff are dedicated to this mission, and we glance to do the whole lot attainable to safeguard the youngsters entrusted to our care.”
