BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Dozens of people gathered at the Kern County Board of Supervisors chambers demanding justice for 8-year-old Genesis Mata and calling for an independent investigation of Child Protective Services.
The community members want the county to conduct an external review of CPS to prevent other children from suffering similar fates.
"8-year-old Genesis Mata should be here today and she is not. Let her name remind us that doing nothing is not an option," said Brooke Malley Ault, a school counselor.
Speakers expressed passionate concerns about what they described as a broken system that has failed to protect children from their caregivers.
"I'm not just asking, I'm demanding justice for my baby. For her and for every child who's been overlooked," said Gloria Rodriguez, Genesis' mother.
Genesis Mata was found dead in a bathtub at La Quinta Inn on Riverside Drive on August 1. Her parents are facing torture and murder charges. CPS has come under fire for allegedly not doing enough to protect children.
"This is not just a pattern of oversight, it's a pattern of failure that demands an immediate rectification," said Josefina Villareal, a community resident.
County officials acknowledged the community's concerns during the meeting.
"We heard you loud and clear. And we totally welcome that and we will leave no stone unturned," said Jeff Flores, County Supervisor.
Kern County Child Protective Services Director Lito Morillo was also present at the meeting. He presented a proposal calling on the board to hire an outside firm to conduct an investigation of CPS.
When I asked Morillo if the reason he was calling for an investigation had anything to do with the public outcry over the Genesis Mata case, he responded: "I think the timing of it all is absolutely more coincidental. We look through our practices on a regular basis, when incidents happen, it's part of our normal practice."
The last time CPS had an external investigation was in 2006. The county will look for a private entity to carry out the CPS investigation, which is expected to take up to six months to complete.
Regarding what the public can expect from this investigation, Morillo said: "We're hoping this external review will actually be able to identify maybe, gaps that we're doing to improve overall service delivery so that way, we can essentially save children."
According to CPS, that investigation will most likely start next month.
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