A Snapshot of a Broken California CPS System-Child Death now Lawsuit UPDATED

Eight-year-old Genesis Mata died on August 2, 2025.

“Police have arrested two people after finding an 8-year-old girl with “substantial trauma” dead and abandoned in a bathtub at a Bakersfield hotel.

Police said Ray Mata Jr., 31, of Bakersfield and Graciela Bustamonte, 27, of Delano were arrested on suspicion of murder, torture and multiple counts of child abuse.”

“At 5:37 p.m. on Saturday, police were called to the La Quinta Inn on Riverside Drive, east of Buck Owens Boulevard, by someone who said they learned secondhand a child may be unconscious and not breathing in a bathtub, according to a Bakersfield Police Department release.”

Officers found the room and knocked on the bathroom door. No one answered and they forced their way in.

The girl was found dead in the bathtub.”

“Police said the investigation led them to Mata and Bustamonte. They were arrested Sunday morning, booking records show.”

“Mata and Bustamonte are due in court Tuesday. A man with the same name and birth year as Mata has prior gun and drug convictions, according to court records. He pleaded no contest last month to carrying a loaded gun without registration and altering a serial number, and in a separate case pleaded no contest to marijuana possession for sale.”

2 arrested on suspicion of murder, torture after girl, 8, found dead in Bakersfield hotel

[KGET 8/3/25. by Jason Kotowski]

“Relatives of the young victim lashed out at Kern County Child Protectives Services, suggesting Genesis might have been saved if social workers had acted on years of complaints.

Genesis’ father and stepmother hid their faces from a courtroom full of furious relatives Tuesday afternoon, as they pleaded not-guilty to seven charges, felony stacked on felony, legal language only hinting at atrocities inflicted on the innocent child.”

“Also among the charges are two counts of torture and two counts of child cruelty. A district attorney spokesman said two counts reflect two separate victims. The identity of the second victim was not revealed, but we know seven children were taken into protective custody after Genesis’ body was discovered.”[7!🫩]

“BPD investigators later said this is one of the worst cases of child abuse they have ever investigated. The hotel manager said Mata and Bustamonte, along with Genesis, have lived at the motel for a little over two months. The manager allowed them to live there for free, after the couple told him they were struggling with money and working to get back on their feet.”

‘The system failed my little cousin’: Family of Genesis Mata says CPS was notified for years of abuse
[KGET 8/6/25 by Connor Dore]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “A lawsuit has been filed in federal court calling for justice for 8-year-old Genesis Mata, alleging Kern County Child Protective Services has systematically failed children for years and that little Genesis is the latest in a series of dead children who were supposed to be under CPS protection.”

“The siblings are suing the Kern County Department of Human Services, Director Lito Morillo, 20 social workers, their supervisors, CPS investigators and the La Quinta Inn.”

“The lawsuit alleges what has been suspected by the public in Genesis’ case since its beginning: CPS negligence and systematic failure led to the death of the 8-year-old.”

“The injuries to Genesis were horrific and the details of the abuse are nauseating.

The day before police found her body, Ray Mata and Bustamonte allegedly poured scalding hot water on Genesis, causing severe burns, splitting skin and massive blisters covering her body and face.

In court, it was revealed the two made Genesis put the bowl of water in the microwave to boil it, before pouring it on her.

They whipped her with electrical cords and cables, exposing muscles beneath her skin.

The two crushed her fingers by placing them in a door frame and slamming the door, causing her finger nails to separate from her fingers.

In what is believed to be the killing blow, Ray Mata allegedly punched Genesis in the stomach, causing her to fall unconscious.

The court filing says other La Quinta guests heard screaming coming from room 248 and reported it to hotel staff.

No one called police.”

“The “child protective services division was notified at least twenty times that Genesis and her siblings were being abused,” the suit stated. “Mandated reporters, including school personnel, reported that the children were missing school and appearing with visible bruises.”

The suit goes on to say “CPS failed to remove the children, failed to follow-up on reports, failed to track [Ray] Mata’s whereabouts after he absconded, and failed to protect Genesis from the very danger that had been reported to them over and over.”

CPS’s inaction directly resulted in the torture and death of Genesis, the suit said.”

‘More dead children’: Explosive lawsuit filed by Genesis Mata’s siblings alleging CPS directly caused her death
[KGET 7/15/26 by Connor Dore]