Arnold Contreras Biography – Who Is Gabriel Fernandez Father

Arnold Contreras (Arnaldo Jose Guadalupe Contreras) was the biological father of Gabriel Fernandez, the 8-year-old boy who died on May 24, 2013 after being beaten, tortured and starved by his mother Pearl Sinthia Fernandez and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre, allegedly because Aguirre believed the young boy was gay.

Arnold Contreras Gabriel Fernandez

Arnold was the biological father of Gabriel Fernandez. Gabriel was the 8-year-old boy who was beaten, tortured and starved by his mother Pearl Sinthia Fernandez and her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre, allegedly because Aguirre believed the young boy was gay. While testifying in the penalty phase of Aguirre’s trial, Contreras described Gabriel as a loving child. “He was very energetic. He was — he liked to play outside. He liked to play cops and robbers” and “play in the backyard.”

Gabriel Fernandez Murder

Gabriel Fernandez was murdered on May 24, 2013 by his stepfather Isauro Aguirre and mother Pearl Fernandez.

The Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami said during the trial that Aguirre is an “evil” man who “liked torturing” the boy and did so systematically in the months leading up to the child’s death because he thought the boy was gay.

The prosecutor said that Aguirre punched and kicked Gabriel hard enough to dent the walls of the family’s apartment and leave the boy unconscious, then — with help from the boy’s mother — hid some of the child’s bloody clothing and moved a picture to cover up one of the biggest indentations before calling 911.

Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to a call on May 22, 2013 to a report of the boy, Gabriel Fernandez, not breathing in the 200 block of East Avenue Q-10. The child was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries including a fractured skull, BB pellets in his lungs and groin, bruises, two missing teeth, broken ribs and burns. Gabriel succumbed to his abuse related injuries on May 24, 2013 in the hospital.

Aguirre attorney argued that Gabriel had asked his mother to leave Aguirre and then denied saying so, calling his mother a liar in front of Aguirre, who “exploded in a rage of anger” and “was completely out of control.” He also added that once Aguirre realized Gabriel was unconscious, “he immediately took steps to begin to revive him.”

Aguirre attorney claimed that Gabriel’s mother was the one who hit the boy with a belt, shot him with a BB gun and was responsible for much of the abuse prior to his death.

Arnold Contreras Pearl Fernandez

Arnold said that he was against Gabriel moving in with his mother and her boyfriend. He alleged that Pearl never showed any affection for Gabriel. The prosecutors said that Contreras believed Gabriel’s maternal grandparents would be caring for the boy, but Fernandez and Aguirre “took him away.”

Gabriel’s maternal grandparents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against several Los Angeles County agencies, including the one tasked with investigating reports of abuse in the household. The lawsuit claimed that child welfare workers illegally removed Gabriel Fernandez from his grandparent’s home, where he lived most of his short life, to his mother’s custody; and failed to fully investigate more than 60 reports of abuse.

The lawsuit read that when Gabriel was a month old, his mother turned over custody to her parents, “stating that she did not want Gabriel and had no love for the child.” In October 2012, Pearl Fernandez enlisted the help of DCFS to regain custody of her then-7-year-old son. Despite past allegations of abuse and the objections of Gabriel’s grandparents, the boy was placed in the custody of his mother unnecessarily and without a court order. Seven months later he was dead.

Arnold Contreras Was In Prison During His Son’s Death

Arnold was in prison when Gabriel died. During Aguirre’s sentencing trial Arnold shared that he was in jail in Riverside County in 2013, when he found out that his son was on life support after being gravely beaten. He said he felt guilty and helpless.

He said that he should been there adding that he couldn’t find the words to explain how he felt at hearing the news. Contreras had been in and out of jail, and had spent time in prison for robbery and drug possession.

Arnold Contreras Filed For Wrongful Death

On July 30, 2014 Arnold together with Gabriels three siblings and the boy’s paternal grandparents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the public school district, three county departments, as well as Fernandez and Aguirre.

According to the lawsuit Gabriel was allowed to remain in Fernandez and Aguirre’s custody despite over 60 complaints of abuse being filed against the pair. They argued that either those complaints were not investigated at all or to their full extent.

They also say that the Department of Public Social Services worker was knowledgeable about the abuse but did not report it because he was interested in going on a date with Fernandez.

Two former Los Angeles County social workers — Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement — and supervisors Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt were charged in 2016 with one felony count each of child abuse and falsifying public records in connection with the case.

Arnold Contreras Children

According to his Facebook page, Arnold has three more children.

Arnold Contreras Today

According to his Facebook page Contreras works in a tattoo and piercing shop.