https://ktla.com/2018/07/17/family-of-lancaster-boy-allegedly-killed-by-mother-her-boyfriend-demands-investigation-of-social-workers/

The family of a 10-year-old boy who died after allegedly being tortured by his mother and her boyfriend is calling for a criminal investigation of the social workers involved in the victim’s case.

Brian Claypool, an attorney representing Anthony Avalos’, family held a news conference Tuesday morning in front of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services where he revealed “shocking" details from agency records that show abuse allegations in the home.

Anthony was found unresponsive after his mother called 911 saying he had suffered a fall in their apartment in the 1100 block of East Avenue K on June 20. The boy died the following morning.

Anthony’s mother, Heather Barron, 28, and her boyfriend, Kareem Leiva, 32, have been charged with murder and torture in the boy’s death. Seven or eight other children were removed from the home since the boy died. Family members said the other children are also Barron's.

Claypool said the DCFS documents, shared with him by a news agency, reveal Barron had been declared “unable or unwilling to protect the child from serious harm, including physical and sexual abuse,” in May 2016.

Claypool said the DCFS documents show that social workers visited Anthony's home 18 times and noted 88 investigations into child abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse. He said of those cases, 15 of were substantiated instances of child abuse, and at least two were substantiated claims of sexual abuse.

"This is not a case of negligence. This is not a case of 'the social workers are overworked.' This is a case of flat out, deliberate indifference toward the life of Anthony Avalos," Claypool said during the news conference.

He added that the death reflects a "systemic failure" of the the agency, and wants answers into why certain matters of Anthony's case were not further investigated.

"I have never seen more red flags of an impending death of a child than in the case of Anthony Avalos," he said.

Claypool compared Anthony's home as a "prison" because other family members were not allowed to visit.

"The only human beings who could really access Anthony to save him were social workers," he said. "We're talking about a child's life. You have to make time and be logical and be compassionate if you want to be a social worker."

Maria and David Barron, Anthony's aunt and uncle, said during the news conference that the boy lived with them for a time before DCFS deemed Heather Barron fit to take care of him. They said Anthony did not deserve to die the way he did.

"A system was supposed to be in place to protect him and they didn't do their jobs," David Barron said. "They signed a death warrant by putting him back in that house."

A DEATH WARRANT. DCFS or CPS Caused Anthony's Death. THIS MUST STOP. All CPS Services Must Be Investigated. NOW.

Please read the rest of the story. Thank God the rest of the children are out of that home, no thanks to the Social Workers.