The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $20 million settlement on Tuesday in the case of Noah Cuatro, a four-year-old boy from Palmdale who was tortured and killed by his parents in 2019. The settlement comes after a wrongful death lawsuit was filed by Noah’s great-grandmother, Evangelina Hernandez, on behalf of his siblings.
The lawsuit criticized the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for failing to remove Noah from his parents despite a court order. According to ABC7, DCFS had been given ten days to remove Noah from his parents’ custody after multiple reports of abuse, but the order was ignored. Noah’s parents initially reported his death as a drowning, but medical examinations revealed signs of torture.
In April 2024, Jose Maria Cuatro Jr. and Ursula Elaine Juarez, Noah’s parents, were sentenced to 32 years to life and 22 years to life in prison, respectively, after pleading no contest to murder and torture charges. The case highlighted significant failures within the county’s child welfare system, prompting DCFS to hire more social workers and improve their training.
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger stated, “Noah’s life was not in vain. His case has reinforced the need for ongoing review of child welfare cases.” The Los Angeles Times reported that Noah’s great-grandmother, Hernandez, expressed relief that he is no longer suffering.
The settlement aims to provide support to Noah’s surviving siblings and family as they continue to heal. The case has led to increased scrutiny and calls for reform in the child welfare system to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
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