SYLMAR, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Community members gathered on Saturday to remember Noah Cuatro, who would have turned 7 years old this week.
A celebration of his life was held at a memorial tree at El Cariso Park in Sylmar near the Palmdale boy's old preschool.
Authorities say Noah's parents tortured him to death in 2019. Jose Maria Cuatro Jr., 28, and Ursula Elaine Juarez, 26, have both pleaded not guilty.
Family members say it's still hard to comprehend what happened.
"It's hard still to deal with it after two years of his passing because we are traumatized by this whole experience of what happened to him, how many people let him down," said his great-aunt Maggie Hernandez.
Last year, Noah's great-grandmother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Department of Family and Child Services. The lawsuit claims the department ignored a court order to remove him from his parents' custody, directly leading to his death.
The DCFS maintains its employees do everything possible to keep children in their care safe.
