Connect with us

HATE CRIMES

No Arrest in Murder of 10 Year Old Boy Who Was Abused for Years at Home and Came Out as Bisexual

Published

on

Anthony Avalos was just ten-years old when he was apparently murdered June 21. Over the past five years the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services had been contacted with concerns about his well-being at least 13 times. They made eight visits to his home. There had been at least 16 calls to a child abuse hotline.

Today, he is awaiting an autopsy.

“The boy reportedly told his mother ‘he liked boys and girls,'” Brandon Nichols, the deputy director of the LA County Dept. of Children and Family Services, told the Los Angeles Times. Local reports say Anthony came out as “gay,” but presumably bisexual would be more accurate.

“A report indicates that at least 16 calls had been made to the county’s child abuse hotline since 2013 before Anthony died,” WLWT reports. “Department of Children and Family Services Director Bobby Cagle confirmed that callers said Anthony and his siblings were denied food and water, sexually abused, beaten and bruised, dangled upside-down from a staircase, forced to crouch for hours, locked in small spaces with no access to the bathroom, forced to fight one another, and forced to eat from the trash.”

Anthony “had injuries to his head, showed signs of malnourishment and likely died from abuse, the agency said in a statement. According to the Los Angeles Times, Anthony also had cigarette burns covering his body.”

Heather Barron and Kareem Leiva, Anthony’s mother and her boyfriend, “initially told first responders that the child was hurt as the result of an accidental fall. They have not yet been charged with any crimes related to the child’s death.”

Nichols “said that his department’s caseworkers documented years ago that Leiva was allegedly a member of the MS-13 criminal gang, but that information was not classified by the workers as a safety threat necessitating Anthony’s removal from the home, and the department never moved to have him permanently removed,” the LA Times adds.

“Just because someone has some affiliation [with MS-13], in and of itself would not have a conclusive effect,” Nichols said.

These initial descriptions of abuse and of a system that was unable or unwilling to intervene to protect the child are eerily reminiscent of another Los Angeles County child’s murder.

Gabriel Fernandez‘s mother was sentenced to life in prison, her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was given the death penalty. The horrific abuse he suffered, was described by prosecutors as worse than the torture “many prisoners of war” have faced.

Just 8-years old when he died, Gabriel Fernandez was murdered because his mother and her boyfriend thought he was gay.

 

Image: Screenshot via WLWT

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment
 
 

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.

NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.

Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.

HATE CRIMES

One Killed in ‘Terrorist Attack Against the LGBT Community’: Fort Lauderdale Mayor

Published

3 years ago

on

June 19, 2021

By

Two people were struck by a pickup Truck at a Pride parade in Wilton Manors, Florida.

“One of the victims has died, said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, who was at the parade,” Local 10 News reports. “The white pickup truck was lined up with other floats when it hit the gas and ran over two people standing by to take part in the parade on Wilton Drive, as Local 10 News reporter Christian De La Rosa witnessed.”

The surviving victim is in critical condition at Broward Health Medical Center.

“The truck narrowly missed hitting U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was in a convertible participating in the parade,” the newspaper reported.

Mayor Trantalis blasted the incident as a terrorist attack.

“This is a terrorist attack against the LGBT community,” Trantalis said. “This is exactly what it is. Hardly an accident. It was deliberate, it was premeditated, and it was targeted against a specific person. Luckily they missed that person, but unfortunately, they hit two other people.”

There is a suspect in custody.

 

Continue Reading

HATE CRIMES

180 House Republicans Just Voted Against Condemning Anti-Asian Hate After Atlanta Spa Shootings

Published

3 years ago

on

May 19, 2021

By

Wednesday afternoon the U.S. House of Representatives voted 244-180 to pass a resolution condemning anti-Asian hate, after eight people, including seven Asian Americans, six of whom were women, were shot and killed at spas in Atlanta, Georgia in a series of hate crime mass shootings last month.

All 180 “no” votes were from Republicans. No Democrats voted against the resolution.

Among the “no” votes were Georgia Republican Representatives Rick Allen, Andrew Clyde, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jody Hice, and Barry Loudermilk. Congressman Loudermilk represents part of the area where the killings took place.

The text is quite simple.

“Condemning the horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16, 2021, and reaffirming the House of Representative’s commitment to combating hate, bigotry, and violence against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community.”

The resolution says, “the people of the United States mourn the 8 innocent lives lost, 7 of whom were women, 6 of whom were women of Asian descent, and several of whom were immigrants.” It lists the victims’ names: Xiaojie “Emily” Tan, Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Yong Ae Yue, Soon Chung “Julie” Park, Hyun Jung Grant, and Sun Cha Kim.

And offers details honoring their lives, like this: “49-year-old Xiaojie ‘Emily’ Tan, a hardworking mother and the owner of 1 of the spas, was a dedicated and caring business owner who is survived by her daughter and husband.”

And this: “63-year-old Yong Ae Yue was a mother of 2 sons who was known for her kindness and generosity and her love of her pet Shih Tzu.”

The resolution also says that the House of Representatives “condemns the heinous and inexcusable acts of gun violence that led to the tragic loss of 8 lives,” “condemns any racism and sexism in the choice of the shooter to target Asian-owned businesses and murder 7 women, 6 of whom were of Asian descent,” ” honors the memory of the victims, offers heartfelt condolences to their families,” and “reaffirms the commitment of the United States Federal Government to combat hate, bigotry, and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.”

 

 

Continue Reading

HATE CRIMES

Watch: Shocking Video Shows Man Stomping 65-Year-Old Asian-American Woman

Published

3 years ago

on

March 29, 2021

By

On Monday, New York City reporter CeFaan Kim posted horrific details of an attack in which a man brutally attacked a 65-year-old Asian-American woman, captured on the security footage from the lobby of a nearby building.

The man, shouting “f*ck you, you don’t belong here,” kicked the woman to the ground and then stomped on her before she could get up. According to Kim, the security guard in the building refused to render the victim aid, and closed the door on her.

“Victim is currently hospitalized with swelling to the face, pain in left leg,” reported Kim, noting that the NYPD hate crimes unit is now investigating the incident.

 

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2020 AlterNet Media.