Settlement Over Child Abuse Case in Los Angeles County

On Tuesday, Los Angeles County agreed to pay $20 million to the family of Noah Quattro, a four-year-old boy from Palmdale who suffered severe abuse from his parents in 2019.

This tragic event highlighted significant lapses within the county’s Child Welfare System. It came to light that the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) failed to protect Noah, even after a court mandated that he be removed from his parents’ custody.

DCFS had been instructed to keep Noah away from his parents within ten days and had documented evidence of his neglect and abuse from multiple sources. Regrettably, they ignored these directives.

Noah tragically passed away just weeks shy of his fifth birthday, while his parents later denied the allegations against them, which included murder and torture.

Eva Hernandez, Noah’s great-grandmother, expressed the emotional toll on their family. “He often pleaded with me not to let him go back to his parents,” she recalled, sharing how Noah would look into her eyes and say, “Don’t let me go there.”

Hernandez filed a lawsuit against DCFS in 2020, asserting that the agency had failed in its duty to protect her grandson. Noah had been under supervision from the age of birth due to his mother’s prior abuse of another child.

At the time of his death, Noah was still under DCFS oversight, even though there had been over a dozen reports suggesting he and his siblings were being mistreated. Attorney Brian Claypool, representing the Quattro family, stated that Noah’s death was a direct consequence of the county’s negligence in adhering to court orders for his removal. A judge had consented to take him away after reviewing a lengthy request from a social worker citing substantial evidence of harm.

“The county really disregarded the removal order, and there’s really no justification for not retrieving Noah,” Claypool mentioned, adding that he was shocked by the volume of abuse petitions filed previously that were overlooked.

Noah’s parents had initially contacted authorities, claiming he had fallen into a swimming pool on July 5, 2019. However, suspicions arose when investigators discovered discrepancies, such as Noah being found dry. Medical examinations revealed bruises and other signs of distress.

Katherine Berger, the district director, called the situation a “sad tragedy.” In a statement, she noted, “While we can’t erase the suffering he endured, the settlement will assist his surviving siblings as they continue healing. Noah’s story has brought attention to the urgent need for enhanced reviews of child welfare cases and a more stable workforce within DCFS to safeguard children in the Antelope Valley.”

Hernandez continued to feel the impact of Noah’s loss daily. “I know he’s not suffering anymore,” she reflected, but the pain still lingers in her heart.