PEARL FERNANDEZ, a California mother convicted of first-degree murder in the death of her 8-year-old son is claiming she was coerced into pleading guilty and is again seeking resentencing after previously being denied.
Pearl Fernandez, 42, of Palmdale, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2018 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder and admitting to a special circumstance allegation of intentional murder by torture in the death of her son, Gabriel.
Fernandez now alleges that her state-appointed defense attorney provided ineffective assistance of counsel and pressured her into signing a guilty plea. According to reports from KABC and the City News Service, she claims she did not fully understand the consequences of the plea agreement.
Her latest request for resentencing comes after a similar effort was denied in 2021, when Fernandez argued that her guilty plea was invalid and maintained she was not responsible for her son’s death.
Prosecutors previously said Gabriel died in 2013 after suffering prolonged abuse that included severe neglect and confinement. Authorities alleged the child was forced to sleep restrained inside a small wooden enclosure and was deprived of proper medical care and nutrition.
Fernandez’s boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was also convicted for his role in the abuse and was sentenced to death.
During Fernandez’s earlier resentencing attempt, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami told the court that evidence clearly showed Fernandez was involved in the abuse over an extended period. He cited testimony and evidence presented during the case that detailed repeated mistreatment of the child.
Last week, Fernandez filed new court papers asserting that she continues to qualify for resentencing. She claimed she has documented comprehension limitations and believed her case would automatically proceed to appeal after signing the plea agreement.
Hatami said he plans to oppose the request once again. A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for March 30.
“These repeated requests to be re-sentenced are unfair and unjust to Gabriel, his family, and the community,” Hatami said in a statement. “Forcing the family to relive this trauma over and over is not humane. Justice must also mean protecting victims and their loved ones.”
Prosecutors previously said Fernandez abused her son because she believed he was gay, according to a 2018 press release announcing her guilty plea. The release stated that Gabriel suffered multiple serious injuries before his death.
Fernandez pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and the special circumstance allegation of intentional murder by torture. Aguirre was convicted at trial of the same charges.
Separate cases against social workers involved in Gabriel’s abuse file were dismissed in 2020. Defense attorneys for those workers argued the abuse escalated after the child’s case was closed and that there was insufficient evidence at the time to remove him from his mother’s care.
