Los Angeles County to pay $20M over child's torture death
Los Angeles County announced a $20 million settlement to the family of Noah Cuatro, a 4‑year‑old who died in 2019 after suffering fatal abuse by his parents in Palmdale. The child's great‑grandmother sued the county's Department of Children and Family Services in 2020, alleging DCFS failed to follow a court order and protect Noah despite prior reports; county officials say DCFS has since hired thousands of social workers and retrained staff.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Los Angeles County will pay $20,000,000 to the family of Noah Cuatro to settle a 2020 lawsuit.
- Noah Cuatro died in 2019 at age 4 after being found motionless at his family's apartment in Palmdale; his parents later pleaded no contest to murder and torture charges.
- The plaintiff (Noah’s great‑grandmother, Eva Hernandez) alleged DCFS ignored a court order to remove Noah and obtain medical evaluation; DCFS says it has since added staff and retraining.