For eight months, the child had suffered significant mental and physical abuse at the hands of Pearl and Aguirre. His siblings testified about the abuse, saying that the couple behaved violently towards Gabriel in a number of ways. Punishing him for exhibiting what they described as "gay" behaviour, Pearl and Aguirre would force Gabriel to eat cat litter and rotten food in addition to beating him. His teachers noticed his fresh bruises at school and grew increasingly concerned by his questions, looking to the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for help.