Nobody believed the children and nobody in authority did anything, Hatami said during his closing argument. That testimony flies in the face of firefighters, nurses and doctors who have testified that Anthony was so thin his ribs and hip bones were sticking out. Anthony Avalos 's mother Heather Barron and her boyfriend Kareem Leiva, will will stand trial beginning Sept. 26, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami confirmed to Oxygen.com on Friday. [4] DCFS followed up eight times. She didnt have the power to say no., But prosecutors insisted that Barron was the mastermind behind the murder of Anthony, while Leiva was the physical enforcer.. "This case is one of extreme, unjustified, out of bounds, abusive behavior but it does not rise to the level of intent to kill.". ", Leiva's defense attorney Dan Chambers told the judge this case "can't be decided on emotion. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. The couple have pleaded not guilty to murder charges, and to abusing two of Barrons other children. "This is all she has ever known," adding that Barron was overwhelmed by having seven babies in eight years. He was being watched between 2013 and 2016 and throughout that period at least 13 calls were reportedly made by concerned teachers, police, relatives and counsellors to the child abuse hotline. The 10-year-old straight-A student was on the schools honor roll. The years leading up to Avalos' death were full of red flags. He died on June 21, 2018, at age 10. 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. Kareem Leiva, 32, was arrested in Anthony's death after an interview with . Gabriel Fernandez, 8, was tortured to death. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Prosecutors Thursday called 10-year-old Anthony Avalos' mother and her boyfriend "evil" and "monsters" during closing arguments of the murder and torture trial over the boy's death . Anthony, NM Show 5 More View Jessica's Relatives & Associates . Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Hatami noted that allegations of child abuse dated back before Leiva came into Barrons life. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Anthony police arrested three men and a woman . The defense lawyer contended that her client is a victim of battered woman syndrome, and said Leiva had taken full and complete responsibility for every act of violence against Anthony. The prosecutor said the boy was already brain dead and had been lying on the floor in the familys townhouse for at least a day, possibly more when Barron called 911 to seek assistance for the boy, and that the two concocted a story that Anthony Avalos had injured himself.. One of Leivas daughters, who is now 18, testified that she also saw her father repeatedly dropping Anthony on the floor and that the boy appeared to be dead when she saw him two days later. He argued that the lack of severe external head injuries flies in the face of allegations that Leiva is responsible for the boy's death. 'Nothing short of monsters': Prosecutors sum up torture allegations in Anthony Avalos' death. 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 boys half-siblings, identified in court as Destiny O. and Rafael O., The murder count includes the special circumstance allegation of murder involving the infliction of torture. 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The child's mother, Heather Maxine Barron, 29, placed the call from the family residence, an apartment in Lancaster on 1100 East Avenue K. When police arrived at the scene they found Ten-year-old Anthony Avalos unconscious and in critical condition. 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. Anthony wen 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 . Anthony Avalos trial closing arguments. "Some kid 12 years old, he's half the size of what he should be, and I don't know what goes on in that . He worked previously in New York City as the Brooklyn courts reporter for the New York Daily News, covering major criminal trials as well as working on enterprise stories. The lad was also allegedly burned with cigarettes and tormented by not being allowed to use the toilet, a court later heard. Anthony was brain-dead and had no pulse when paramedics arrived at his familys Lancaster home, prosecutors said. It was Barron who first called 911 on June 20 to report that Anthony was hurt. Anthony Avalos: DA's office drops death penalty for mom, her boyfriend accused of murder, torture; Anthony Avalos case: LA County approves $32M settlement over boy tortured, killed; Tragically, the child died as a result of his . Chambers pointed out that testimony from the surviving children has changed over time. Leiva subsequently acknowledged that he had the boy kneel on uncooked rice and admitted that he had rendered him unconscious for about five minutes just days earlier, according to the prosecutor. VERDICT WATCH CA - Anthony Avalos, 10, possibly died after abuse by mother, Lancaster, 20 June 2018 *arrest* Latest: Allabouttrial; 3 minutes ago; Trials. Leiva is claimed to have encouraged his eight siblings to fight and allegedly told them to beat Anthony up, according to court documents. 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. Together, they were deadly, Hatami told the judge, explaining that Barron was the one who came up with many of these torture techniques and that she chose Leiva to act as the enforcer for the discipline used on the boy and two of his half-siblings. But despite these countless interventions, Anthony was allegedly continually tortured and eventually killed by his mum and her partner, prosecutors claim. The two children who say they were tortured alongside Anthony took the stand Wednesday at the murder trial of Leiva and their mother, Heather Barron. Children and Family Services Gabriel Fernandez Noah Cuatro Trial gets underway in death of Anthony Avalos Trial began this week for a Lancaster woman and her boyfriend, who are charged with torture and murder involving her 10-year-old son's death. They are sending their condolences to the victim's family. The innocent 10-year-old died in 2018 after allegedly being brutally beaten and tortured by his mum Heather Barron, 28, and her sicko partner Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 32, who have both pleaded not guilty to charges against them. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon is the debut studio album by American rapper Pop Smoke.It was posthumously released on July 3, 2020, by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records, and a deluxe edition of the album that includes fifteen additional tracksincluding remixes of three songs from the originalwas released on July 20 that year, a date that would have been Pop Smoke's 21st . Hatami told the court the abuse began years ago before Anthony's mom began dating Kareem Leiva, but it escalated once the pair became a couple and Leiva moved into the family's apartment in Lancaster. Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report. They remain jailed without bail. "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.". The little boy, who was also allegedly forced to kneel on uncooked grains of rice as punishment, died in hospital a short time after being admitted, on June 21, 2018. It was inside Anthony's head where the real and deadly damage was done to his brain. Anthony had been under the supervision of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services sporadically over a four-year period beginning in 2013 and ending in 2017. At times, he was forced on wounded knees to kneel on uncooked rice, nails and concrete. The youngster was rushed to hospital in June 2018 following what prosecutors claim was a period of vicious and repeated abuse in his own home. But prosecutors say what her son endured was far worse: years of abuse until the very end of his life. The boy, Anthony Avalos, had recently come out as gay, a county official said, and some suspect that homophobia played a role in his death. Kareem would hold their legs, make them lay down, and put their face in the pee, the sister said. Dixon has claimed she did not notice any signs of abuse while working on Anthony's case. If convicted of all charges after a trial expected . Now Stepdad Faces Prison, 9-Year-Old Girl Facing Criminal Charge After Allegedly Beating 4-Year-Old Brother to Death with Broomstick, Va. Dad Didn't Protect Son, 4, from Beating Death, Now Faces Possible 70 Years in Prison, Girlfriend Sentenced in Killing of Girl, 3, Who Begged to Live with Grandparents Instead of Dad's Home, Lori Vallow: The Disturbing Case of Idaho Mom Charged with Murdering 2 Kids, Ex-Husband, Nev. 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