A California mother serving life in prison for the torture and killing of her 8-year-old son has been denied resentencing for a second time, after claiming she was coerced into pleading guilty.

Pearl Fernandez, 42, appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom this week seeking to overturn her life-without-parole sentence, arguing that her original defense attorney pressured her into accepting a plea deal. But George G. Lomeli rejected her petition, siding with prosecutors who said the law does not apply to her case.

“We are here again, reliving and reopening wounds,” said family member Emily Carranza during the emotionally charged hearing, as relatives of the victim once again faced the details of the case.

Fernandez pleaded guilty in 2018 to the first-degree murder of her son, Gabriel Fernandez, admitting to a pattern of prolonged and horrific abuse. Prosecutors said the boy was beaten, burned, starved, and tortured over months inside their home in Palmdale.

Authorities described a sustained campaign of cruelty. Gabriel was struck with objects including a wooden club and broomstick, sprayed with chemicals, shot with BB guns, and forced to eat cat litter and feces. He was often confined in a small, closet-like box, sometimes handcuffed, and denied food and medical care.

When he was finally taken to the hospital in 2013, doctors documented devastating injuries: a fractured skull, multiple broken ribs, burns, BB pellets embedded in his body, and extensive wounds across his skin.

Fernandez’s boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, was also convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for his role in the abuse.

In her latest petition, Fernandez argued that she has significant cognitive limitations and believed her case would proceed to appeal after signing the plea agreement. Her attorney cited California Senate Bill 1437, which allows certain inmates convicted under felony murder rules to seek resentencing.

But prosecutors pushed back, arguing the law does not apply because Fernandez was a direct participant in the torture and killing.

“The torture and murder of Gabriel was never a case of felony murder,” Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami wrote in court filings. “It was not pled that way, it was not presented that way, and it was not tried that way.”

This is not Fernandez’s first attempt to reduce her sentence. A similar resentencing request was denied in 2021.

The repeated legal challenges have forced Gabriel’s family to relive the trauma in court, something prosecutors say continues to take a toll.

“My frustration is because of the family,” Hatami said. “This opens up wounds… this anxiety and stress can break you down.”

Despite the denial, California law allows Fernandez to file future petitions, leaving the door open for continued legal battles.

For Gabriel’s relatives, the ongoing proceedings have only prolonged their grief.

“We do need closure,” said cousin Olivia Rubio. “It’s been a hard time, but she’s not going to stop — and that’s why our voices need to get louder.”