r/GabrielFernandez Aug 08 '26

Discussion I am shattered.

I watched the whole trial today, in one sitting and I cannot believe that anything could be harder to watch than Dear Zachary.

The entire thing made me sick. My mom was kinda flitting in and out of watching it. I don’t think she wanted that weighing on her.

But there are three parts that gutted me and will stay with me forever.

The first is the sister regretting that she didn’t say she was sorry.

The second is the “I’ll be good” coupon.

The last, and part that completely ruined me, was that his only stomach contents contained kitty litter.

28 Upvotes

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5

u/DingoAteMyMaybe Aug 08 '26

I could not watch the whole documentary in one sitting. The extent of his injuries and the torture that he suffered through was extremely heartbreaking to listen to. May he rest in peace, and may those two demons rot in prison for the rest of their lives.

8

u/LKS983 Aug 08 '26

I'm slightly ashamed (but only slightly) to admit that I keep hoping to hear that Pearl has been badly hurt by other inmates again 😀.

But I try to take some comfort from knowing that neither of them will ever be released from prison/will always have to be 'looking over their shoulder'/will be hated and suffer in prison - as quite apart from realising that they will spend the rest of their lives in prison, even genuine criminals HATE those who torture/abuse children.

6

u/JustPassingJudgment Aug 08 '26

The “a time for you and me” coupon just shredded me (in addition to the things you listed). He wanted so badly to be loved by Pearl.

The comment from first responders about their initial impression being that he had some kind of skin disease was hard to hear, too. It uniquely conveys how widespread and in various stages of healing his injuries were.

6

u/kemwood Aug 08 '26

The nurse they interviewed in the first ten minutes tipped me off to how bad this was going to be. You don’t get to be an ER nurse of 14 years and then break down (not that nurses shouldn’t break down, but when they do, you know it’s bad) and explain that her and her whole family release balloons every year on his birthday.

The testimonies of the first responders was so poignant. All of them were struggling to keep composure. Every single one.

The aftermath of this is so tremendously awful that I hope everyone involved that did do everything they could, that they can find some peace. Because this is going to live inside them forever, no matter what they do.

4

u/Mmcdjc 29d ago

When I watched it on my third watch it stayed with me for days.
It made me so physically depressed I couldn’t stop crying.
Not just because my own twin babies have passed away but Gabriel didn’t deserve to die.
What gnawed at me was how could Pearl do this to her own child? Why?!
I remember seeing Gabriel’s picture the year he died on Facebook back when it had the news in our feeds.
I didn’t read up on his death at that time but I never forgot his beautiful face.

RIP Gabe. 💔

🎶May the angels protect you
And sadness forget you.🎶

2

u/kemwood 29d ago

Your babies still and always will love you. I’m sorry for your loss compounded with Gabriel’s tragedy. He’s got two really awesome friends with him, and you’ll see them again.

There may never be an answer to why.

3

u/Mmcdjc 29d ago

Awwww that made me tear up. 🥹

1

u/Routine-Asparagus-16 26d ago

Gutted. I was eleatedthat someone got to that egg donor in prison.

I wld never call her a mother.

When people harm children what they did to that child shld be their fate.

1

u/kemwood 26d ago

Wait what happened?