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California

California foster mom charged with abuse after 4-year-old boy hospitalized

Gabriela Casarez pleaded not guilty to charges and is due back in court on Dec. 6.

Pilar Arias By Pilar Arias Fox News
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A California foster mom is facing charges of child abuse and assault after a 4-year-old boy in her care suffered "grave injuries," according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. 

Gabriela Casarez of Norwalk, who was charged with two counts of child abuse and one count of assault leading to coma or paralysis, remains in Los Angeles County Jail and is being held on $1.2 million bail after she was arrested Oct. 29 by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit detectives following the child’s hospitalization.

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A news release says the child remains in critical condition in a hospital intensive care unit. 

Casarez, 26, pleaded not guilty on Friday to the charges and is due back in court on Dec. 6.

During a news conference Monday, relatives said the boy was placed in foster care by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services in April.

On Oct. 29, they were notified of the alleged abuse, but have yet to receive answers from the county or the social worker assigned to the case, KTLA reports.

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"We have no evidence that he was with anyone other than this foster family and there’s clear evidence that he was tortured and beaten into a coma," the family’s attorney, Michael Alder, said. He is preparing to file a lawsuit against the county and is demanding an investigation.

The boy’s 2-year-old brother was also placed in foster care, but the family does not know where he ended up. They’re hoping to find out what led to the abuse on the older boy, and where the younger boy currently is.

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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau is tasked with investigating the sexual and physical abuse of children and felonious sexual assaults involving adult victims. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Special Victims Bureau toll free tip line at 877-710-5273 or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org.                

If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), or use your smartphone by downloading the "P3 Tips" Mobile APP or "P3 Mobile" for the hearing impaired on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.