L.A. County Child Services Expresses Sympathy in Lawsuit Over Missing Infant
The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) issued a statement Monday in response to a lawsuit filed on behalf of the young siblings of a missing baby. The agency declined to comment on the specifics of the case but expressed sympathy and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting families in the Antelope Valley.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, involves the case of Baki Dewees, a 3-week-old infant who disappeared from a home in Palmdale in early May. Authorities now presume him dead. The lawsuit, which accuses DCFS of negligence and failing to fulfill its legal duties, was brought on behalf of three minor siblings, identified only by their initials—YM.D., YL.D., and L.G.—who were between 1 and 5 years old at the time of their brother’s disappearance.
In its statement, DCFS explained that state law prevents the agency from discussing the case in detail but emphasized its commitment to child welfare.
"Whenever a child is seriously hurt or loses their life, our agency grieves with the community," the statement read. "DCFS continues to work in areas facing high levels of poverty, mental health challenges, and substance abuse, including the Antelope Valley. Protecting children and supporting families is a shared responsibility, and communities must have access to quality services before problems escalate."
However, the lawsuit argues that the tragedy could have been prevented if DCFS had taken proper action.
"If DCFS had fulfilled its legal duties, this tragedy could have been averted," the suit states.
Parents Accused of Infant’s Murder
The baby’s father, 24-year-old Yusuf Dewees, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, child abuse, and assault on a child causing death.
The lawsuit alleges that DCFS allowed the children's biological mother, Roselani Gaoa, to retain custody of her four children despite multiple reports of abuse. According to the suit, prior to Baki’s disappearance, Gaoa had been accused of physically abusing her 1-year-old son, pulling and cutting another child’s hair, and even attempting to smother her 5-year-old daughter.
Court documents claim that in late April and early May 2024, Gaoa and Dewees planned to kill their infant son. The baby was last seen on May 3 and officially reported missing on May 7.
During questioning, Dewees allegedly gave conflicting accounts of his son's whereabouts, claiming at different times that the child was in Florida with his paternal grandparents, had been adopted by a woman in California, or had been abandoned at a Los Angeles hospital.
Authorities conducted searches in the Antelope Valley but have not found Baki’s body. He is now presumed dead.
The lawsuit alleges that DCFS failed to properly investigate multiple child endangerment reports, which could have prevented this tragic outcome.
