Eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez died after being hospitalized for physical abuse according to the Los Angeles Times.

Fernandez suffered a cracked skull, two of his teeth were knocked out, three broken ribs and "his skin was bruised and burned." Authorities were called to the child's home by his mother's, Pearl Fernandez, boyfriend who reportedly admitted to beating Fernandez for "lying and being dirty."

Fernandez's mother and her boyfriend were charged for torture and murder. The mother insists the injuries were" a result of self-mutilation."

Pearl has a long history of abuse beginning with her first born son. She was accused of neglect after he was injured in a car accident. He was not wearing a seat belt. 

According to Fox News, Fernandez's teacher alerted authorities when the child confessed that he was contemplating suicide. Despite six visits to the home by social services, Fernandez was not removed from his abusive home.

"The red flags were all over the place. They were ignored. It is just inexplicable," said Zev Yaroslavsky, county supervisor.

Investigations of Fernandez's home were reportedly not properly conducted. According to the Los Angeles Times, "at the time of Fernandez's death, there was yet another, unresolved allegation of child abuse in his file. That referral has lingered two months past a legally mandated deadline for completing an investigation."

The social worker responsible for looking into the abuse claim did not begin the investigation until 20 days after the first complaint was filed.

"I feel like they all should be fired. They didn't listen to my nephew,"  said Elizabeth Carranza, Fernandez's aunt. "They were completely deaf and blind. We are protesting their handling of this case 300 percent because we want to make sure this never happens again."