'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMYmiK//xAAfEAACAQQCAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMABAURBhITIVL/2gAIAQEAAT8AxV3x6PjdxFfQo2U8u42MJJ66+qcguxUaXfoV/8QAFxEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEf/aAAgBAgEBPwBTh//EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAhH/2gAIAQMBAT8Adaf/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Anthony Avalos' story will be featured on Evil Lives Here. The show returns with its exploration of true crime stories, focusing on individuals who discover that they shared their lives with notorious criminals. The show airs on Investigation Discovery, and the next episode of season 16 is titled Our Little Sister, the Monster. It is scheduled to premiere on Sunday, September 1, 2024.
Anthony Avalos was a 10-year-old boy from Lancaster, California, who suffered abuse and ultimately died under tragic circumstances. In June 2018, emergency services were called to his home, where he was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead in the hospital.
The autopsy revealed Anthony Avalos had been subjected to prolonged physical abuse, and his body bore evidence of beatings, burns, and bruises across his body. Anthony's mother, Heather Barron, and her boyfriend, Kareem Leiva, were identified as the perpetrators of the abuse. Investigations uncovered that Anthony Avalos had been tortured for several years, with the abuse escalating in the days leading to his death.
Trending
How Anthony Avalos was tortured to death
The distressing pattern of abuse was first flagged to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) several years before Anthony Avalos' death.
From 2013 to 2017, DCFS received at least 13 calls from concerned teachers, relatives, and neighbors. They reported signs of abuse and neglect, including visible bruises and malnutrition. Despite these warnings, the responses from DCFS were insufficient to halt the ongoing abuse, ultimately leading to a catastrophic failure to protect Anthony Avalos.
In the final days of his life, the level of violence against Anthony Avalos intensified drastically. According to court documents and later testimonies during the trial, he was subjected to inhumane forms of punishment, such as being forced to kneel on rice, being whipped with a belt, and having hot sauce poured on his face and mouth. He was also repeatedly dropped on his head, an action that contributed majorly to his fatal injuries.
The events leading to Anthony's death began to unravel on June 20, 2018, when Barron called 911 to report her son was unresponsive after supposedly being injured in a fall. Upon arrival at the hospital, doctors determined that his injuries were consistent with prolonged abuse, not an accidental fall. Anthony Avalos died the following day due to severe head trauma and internal bleeding.
The police investigation focused on Heather Barron and Kareem Leiva. Evidence gathered from the scene combined with the autopsy results painted a grim picture of the systemic abuse Anthony endured. Additional testimonies from Anthony's siblings during the trial revealed a horrifying regime of control and punishment within the home, orchestrated primarily by Leiva and enabled by Barron.
Barron and Leiva were arrested and charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances of torture. Throughout their trial in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the prosecution presented overwhelming evidence of their guilt that led to their conviction. In a strategic move, the pair waived their right to a jury trial, opting for a bench verdict by Judge Sam Ohta, who found them guilty of all charges.
The sentencing was emotional, with family members and the community expressing their loss and anger towards Barron and Leiva. In April 2023, they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a decision that provided some measure of justice to the grieving family.
The fallout from the case prompted reviews and reforms within DCFS, aiming to prevent such failures in the future. A lawsuit filed by Anthony's family against the county and DCFS concluded with a $32 million settlement.
The episode titled Our Little Sister, the Monster, from season 16 of Evil Lives Here, will air on ID on Sunday, September 1, 2024.
