An attorney representing some family members of a 10-year-old Lancaster boy, who was allegedly tortured and killed, filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against the Department of Children and Family Services Thursday morning.
It involves the torture and abuse case of 10-year-old Anthony Avalos of Lancaster.
Authorities contend Anthony’s mother and her boyfriend are responsible for his abuse and his death.
Heather Barron, and her boyfriend, Kareem Leiva, are charged with killing Avalos and torturing him in the days leading up to his June 21 death.
DCFS issued a statement saying: "all employees do everything possible to safeguard the children in our care."
Prosecutors said in court documents that Anthony’s injuries stretched from his head to his toes, bruises, abrasions, red dots, scabs, cuts and a traumatic brain injury.
Law enforcement officials and social workers have come under fire for not removing the boy from the home permanently.
Attorney Brian Claypool says those who work in the DCFS system have failed to report abuse and failed to protect Anthony and other kids.
He claims a lot of red flags were ignored in this case.
KNX 1070 reached out to the agency and a child services firm, Hathaway Sycamores, for comment.
In July of last year, a large crowd turned out for the funeral of the 10-year-old Lancaster boy who was allegedly tortured and killed by his mother and her boyfriend -- both are now in jail awaiting trial.
The pastor at a church near Lancaster reportedly told the crowd that children shouldn’t have to go to heave, to not be in pain. He was talking about young Avalos.
In December of last year, the judge in the murder case of Avalos said the public has the right to know what led to a murder indictment, against the boy’s mother and her boyfriend.
Authorities say Anthony died in June after being severely abused by the couple. Before the pretrial hearing, the attorney for the relatives of the boy, Brian Claypool, told KNX they're pushing for the judge to make public the Grand Jury transcripts on the case, saying "we need to have access to grand jury proceedings so we can stop this code of secrecy that seems to blanket sexual abuse and child abuse cases."