Anthony Avalos was a ten-year-old boy from Los Angeles whose life ended in a tragic and painful way. He was beaten and suffered internal bleeding. When he died, his body showed signs of long-term physical abuse and severe malnutrition.
For years before his death, there were warning signs. Between February 2013 and April 2016, caseworkers responded to 13 complaints of abuse involving Anthony. These reports came from teachers, relatives, counselors, and even police officers. Some of the complaints included claims of sexual abuse when he was just four years old.
Over more than four years, from 2013 to 2017, Anthony was under the supervision of the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). During that time, at least 13 known calls were made to the child abuse hotline about his safety. DCFS followed up eight times.
Brandon Nichols, deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, told the Los Angeles Times that Anthony had “said he liked boys” just weeks before his death.
After he died, some relatives said Barron and Leiva often showed homophobic behavior. Family members shared that Barron called Anthony a “faggot,” and Leiva admitted he felt uncomfortable being close to homosexuals.
The abuse Anthony suffered was severe and ongoing. During his autopsy, doctors found bruises and burns all over his body. He was extremely underweight.
According to court testimony, his aunt, Crystal Diuguid, told her therapist that Anthony’s mother had been beating him, starving him, and locking him in a room for hours without access to a bathroom. He was only six years old at that time. The therapist reported the situation to a child abuse hotline.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami described the injuries in court. He said, “There were injuries to Anthony’s side and his hip area, both his left hip and his right hip, and his arms, and even injuries to his feet.”
In another statement, he said, “At one point Anthony could not walk, was unconscious lying on his bedroom floor for hours, was not provided medical attention, and could not eat on his own.”
In the last days of his life, the violence became even worse. Anthony was whipped repeatedly. He was held upside-down and dropped on his head. Hot sauce was sprayed into his eyes, nose, and mouth. He was forced to kneel on rice for hours. One day before he died, a 911 call was made.
When police began investigating, Sheriff Jim McDonnell said that Kareem Leiva was arrested after making suspicious comments during an initial police interview. The case soon drew public attention because of how many warnings had been reported over the years.
A review by CBS News of released DCFS documents, records from Maximus Inc., court files, and interviews with family members showed that child protective workers missed serious warning signs. According to the report, they failed to step in despite clear risks to Anthony’s life.
On August 28, 2019, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced it was seeking the death penalty against both Barron and Leiva.
Both pleaded not guilty to intentional first-degree murder with the special circumstance of infliction of torture on the victim. Barron also faced an additional abuse charge involving one of her other sons.
Later, under District Attorney George Gascón, the office dropped the death penalty option for both defendants. The case moved forward to trial. On March 7, 2023, Barron and Leiva were found guilty. On April 25, 2023, they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Judge Sam Ohta explained his decision. “Anthony was a helpless child who was dependent (on the defendants) … for his basic physical needs and emotional support. Instead, Anthony was tortured and killed.”
Family members spoke in court for more than an hour. Many asked for the maximum sentence. One speaker said, “These two are monsters, and monsters belong in cages. Please, do not give them the opportunity to hurt somebody else.”
Anthony’s cousin, Dana B., said, “Because of her actions, I can no longer claim her as my family. In my mind, she is dead to me.”
Maria Barron, Heather’s sister, told the court, “You tortured your kids, you failed your kids. And because of you, our family is broken.” She also said, “Heather, you took his dreams and hopes away. You were supposed to be his protector.”
Anthony’s half-sister, Destiny, became emotional while speaking. Some of her statement was read aloud by Hatami. “Kareem, you came into our life and ruined everything,” she wrote.
She added, “He did not protect us and took part in the torture. To me, you’re both monsters.”
One young boy read a written statement in court. “I miss my cousin Anthony,” he said. He also told the court, “Heather is an evil monster. She deserves to spend the rest of her life in prison. I don’t forgive Heather for taking my cousin’s life. I hope she gets beat up in jail because I just wanted to meet Anthony.”
