Domingo Flores and Mayra Chavez, parents of two young girls, were convicted and sentenced to prison for torturing and abusing their daughters. The girls were subjected to horrifying acts of abuse, including being zip-tied to a bed, plunged into ice baths, and denied food. A lawsuit filed by the girls’ biological mother seeks to hold the county and city of Anaheim accountable for failing to intervene despite reports of abuse and a welfare check conducted by the police that did not lead to any meaningful action to protect the children.
The lawsuit alleges that despite multiple reports of abuse dating back to 2017, county social workers did not properly investigate the situation or take necessary actions to ensure the safety of the girls. The girls had disclosed the abuse they were facing to their mother, prompting her to refuse to send them back to their father. However, a court order eventually resulted in the girls being returned to their father’s custody, where the abuse continued for years. The girls eventually ended up in the hospital in August 2022 with severe injuries consistent with years of brutal abuse and neglect.
Following their arrest, Chavez and Flores were convicted of multiple charges related to child abuse and torture. Chavez was sentenced to seven years to life in prison, while Flores received a 14-year prison sentence. The children, including the two daughters and Chavez’s four biological children, now live with their mother, who has custody. The city of Anaheim stated that they are reviewing the lawsuit, and the Orange County Social Services Agency declined to comment due to pending litigation. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer expressed concern over the system’s failure to protect the children and promised to investigate the case further to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
The lawsuit highlights the failures of the system to protect the two girls from ongoing abuse despite numerous reports and interventions. Anaheim police officers conducted a welfare check on the girls in June 2022 but did not follow up with the necessary steps to ensure their safety. The girls were ultimately returned to their father’s custody, where the abuse continued, leading to severe injuries that eventually resulted in their parents’ arrest. The case sheds light on the importance of timely and effective interventions in cases of child abuse to prevent further harm and ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable children.
The tragic story of the two girls underscores the devastating impact of child abuse and the urgent need for effective systems and interventions to protect children from harm. The failure of the system to adequately respond to reports of abuse and interventions such as welfare checks resulted in years of torture and neglect for the girls. The criminal convictions of their parents highlight the accountability that must be held in cases of child abuse and the importance of ensuring that vulnerable children are protected and supported. The lawsuit filed by the girls’ mother seeks justice and accountability for the harm inflicted on her daughters and aims to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
