The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

This heartrending series documents harrowing details of the abuse sustained by Gabriel Fernandez and what followed. But The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez centers on the trial proceedings, focusing more on what happened to Fernandez rather than deeply exploring the various complicated reasons why. The backstories of the key people in Fernandez's short life -- including his mother, her boyfriend, and his late uncle, who raised Fernandez with his partner until Pearl Fernandez and Isauro Aguirre removed him from their home -- are fragmented and glossed over. Interviews reveal homophobia and sexual gratification as potential reasons for Fernandez's torture, but these conversations are also speculative and aren't fleshed out in any extensive manner. 

That said, the documentary successfully points to a broken system that allows cases like these to slip through the cracks. Discussions on that aspect are more contemplative, raising questions about how much blame should be placed on the four social workers who were tried for Fernandez's death and noting the guidelines that social workers must follow when determining whether children should be removed from a home. The politics surrounding the management of the LA DCFS and the administrative problems within it are also underscored. Overall, The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a difficult series to watch and no doubt will elicit strong, emotional reactions among those who do. It is, in part, a memorial for Fernandez, whose life was important and valuable. But it also shows how much needs to be done at the personal, administrative, and political level to stop child abuse.