The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez: A Review

By Katherine Voong, 2023

Published 03/05/20

If you know me, you know that my favorite genre to watch on Netflix is anything to do with crime. I know it sounds morbid, but I am a sucker for Criminal Minds, Forensic Files, and more. When I saw the new documentary series The Trial of Gabriel Fernandez, immediately settled down to watch, not knowing what to expect. 20 minutes in, I was already sobbing in heartbreak, rage and every emotion in between.

The Trial of Gabriel Fernandez is a limited time documentary series on Netflix and is about the infamous child abuse case of Gabriel Fernandez. Gabriel was an innocent and loving 8 year old boy from Palmdale, California who experienced the indescribable abuse and torture from his mother and stepfather. After 8 months of suffering, he was finally beaten to death by his stepfather. This shocked the entire community despite the obvious signs of abuse. Many people who interacted with him including his other family members and teachers reported his injuries, but social workers were unable to save the boy and remove him from his parents' custody. This sparked outrage in the child protection system, prompting changes in the system to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again. This series documents the tragic life of Gabriel Fernandez, from the injustice of his treatment, to his death, and continuing through the trials of his parents and social workers. This docu-series exposes the flaws in the child protection system and addresses how they are trying to change it for the better.

This series is definitely not for the faint of heart. It was an emotional and heartbreaking story, and I had to pause many times to compose myself. Though it is not suited for everyone, I believe that everyone should watch this as it brings light to the flaws of the child protection system in this country. It gives viewers a reality check of the horrible child abuse that happens, even in the most unexpected places. Gabriel’s death was sickening and absolutely preventable. If people had taken action after seeing the signs of his abuse, Gabriel could still be alive today.

I highly recommend watching this series. It will not be easy to get through, but Gabriel’s story should get the attention it deserves. Every additional viewer is one more person who understands the danger of child abuse.

If you suspect any signs of child abuse, report it to the child abuse hotline: 1-800-842-2288