On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors sanctioned a $20 million settlement for the family of 4-year-old Noah Cuatro, who was brutally tortured and killed by his parents in 2019.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Noah’s great-grandmother, Eva Hernandez, initiated a lawsuit in 2020, with the Department of Children and Family Services being listed as the defendants.
According to CrimeOnline’s earlier coverage, Jose Cuatro Jr., 28, and Ursula Juarez, 25, accepted no contest pleas in 2024 regarding the torture and death of Noah, who tragically passed away just days before his fifth birthday in July 2019.
The couple murdered Noah at their Palmdale residence on July 5, after Jose Cuatro Jr. had sexually assaulted him on the same day. They falsely claimed his death was due to drowning in a community pool.
Hernandez recounted that Noah lived with her for most of his life, after initially spending three months in foster care. The Department of Children and Family Services had first removed him from his parents after his mother caused a skull fracture to his sister.
Six months after moving in with Hernandez, however, the court returned Noah to his parents.
A year later, he returned to his great-grandmother after suffering neglect and malnutrition. Despite this, he was again returned to his parents.
“He frequently pleaded with me not to send him back to his parents,” Hernandez shared. “I tried explaining things repeatedly, but he couldn’t comprehend. With his tiny hands, he’d look into my eyes and say, ‘Please don’t make me go there.’”
A caseworker then filed a 26-page petition to have Noah removed from his parents. A Superior Court judge approved it.
Weeks later, Noah was dead after DCFS failed to carry out the judge’s order.
According to ABC 7, DCF released the following statement, in part, after the approved settlement.
“It is DCFS’ hope that this resolution gives Noah’s family a sense of peace. His death and other child tragedies reveal the complexities of child welfare work, which often involves helping families heal from issues of generational trauma, untreated mental health, domestic violence and drug use, among other deeply personal challenges.
“DCFS remains committed to learning from the past, improving its work, and operating with transparency. The department evaluates opportunities to learn and strengthen practice based on the unique facts and circumstances of each case.”
Meanwhile, Hernandez, according to Los Angeles Magazine, is working with advocates and lawmakers to help change state laws that can prevent additional tragedies.
Specifically, they are hoping to create a three-person panel that can review cases and decide if a child should be removed from a dangerous environment.
Hernandez added that it was never about the money, but about bringing change and awareness for abused children.
[Feature Photo: Noah Cuatro/Handout]
