The Angels Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Torturing and Killing their Child: A Tragic Reflection on the State of Child Welfare in Los Angeles County

Ursula Elaine Juárez and Jose María Cuatro, known as The Angels, were sentenced to decades in prison on Tuesday after pleading no contest to charges of torture and murder of their 4-year-old son in July 2019. Initially, the couple had pleaded not guilty to the death of the boy, who was hospitalized on July 5, 2019 after his parents called emergency services claiming he was drowning in the apartment complex pool where they lived.

Hospital staff discovered signs of trauma in the child, who died the next morning, leading to an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The couple also lost custody of their three other children during this time. The couple was charged with torturing the minor over a four-month period starting in April of the previous year.

In court, Maggie Hernandez referred to Cuatro as “an evil monster” and expressed her hope that they would never be released from prison. Evangelina Hernandez stated in a written statement that Juarez had mentioned not liking the boy. In 2020, Hernandez filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County alleging that Gabriel Fernandez’s death occurred after multiple reports of abuse had been filed with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). This case is just one example among many cases where children have died due to abuse by their parents or legal guardians in Los Angeles County.