Descanso Gardens debuts newly designed gift shop

By Staff

person is that?" said Hatami, who has been an outspoken critic of Gascón.

David Barron — who along with his other sister testified that they had repeatedly notified the county Department of Children and Family Services about the alleged abuse of Anthony and three of his half-siblings — said his nephew will "never get the justice that he actually deserved because of Gascón," saying that the death penalty would have been the closest thing.

Anthony Avalos

each other and watching each other be disciplined.

In his closing argument last month, the prosecutor said the children's prior accounts of abuse had not been believed.

Hatami told the judge that the two defendants are "evil" and "monsters" who should be held accountable for her 10-year-old son's torture and murder.

The prosecutor noted that the defendants "blamed Anthony" for his injuries and that they were both abusive before meeting each other.

She said her client was a victim of a "cycle of abuse" that began with repeated alleged abuse of Barron as a child by her stepfather.

Leiva was in charge of discipline in the house and forced the children to fight each other when they were left in his care when Barron wasn't home, according to Sperber.

Barron's attorney agreed with the prosecutor's assessment that Leiva is "evil."

After months of remodeling, Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge is set to debut its brand-new gift shop this weekend, the botanical garden announced.

The Store at Descanso will showcase hand-painted murals, garden-themed products created by local artisans and “private label” items that are Descanso Gardens-inspired — pottery, vintage postcards, bags, hats and more.

The newly-designed shop will reopen its doors on Saturday for an invitationonly event that will feature works by local artisans and the re-imagined collection curated by Mark-Alan Harmon, according to a Descanso Gardens statement. Ten of the shop’s artisans will be at the event to discuss their work and wares, which will also be available for purchase. The next day The Store will celebrate its public grand opening when the Gardens open at 9 a.m.

“We see the opening of The Store as an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to support local businesses and experience the unique makers of the region,” Descanso Gardens CEO Juliann Rooke said in a statement. “The Store will offer a wide variety of artisanal products from cultivated plants and handcrafted items to speciallydesigned art and jewelry. The Store will serve as a showcase for the best that the region has to offer and is a testament to the vibrancy and creativity of the local community.”

Descanso Gardens' statement described the revamped gift shop as having a "focus on highquality, handcrafted goods" and providing "a unique opportunity for visitors to bring home a piece of their visit to Descanso."

The statement also noted the Descanso Gardens' emphasis on artisanal products is a reflection of the increasing demand for sustainable and ethical products.

"By highlighting handmade items made with care and attention to detail, The Store offers an alternative to mass-produced, disposable items," according to the statement. "Visitors can feel good about their purchases, knowing that they are supporting skilled craftspeople and promoting sustainable production practices."

The following local artisans will be featured at the gift shop's opening, and their products will be sold at

The Store:

"José Lemus, who transforms vintage finds into beautiful jewelry featuring insects;

"Clay ca, an artist-run ceramic studio in Los Angeles’ Chinatown that designed and created The Descanso Pot;

"Danyele Thomas’ Misty Jane Jewelry featuring delicate combinations of colorful wires, shapes, beads, and stones.

"Kai and David Oredugba’s Duba Teas which is creating blends available just at Descanso Gardens.

"Laura Ann of Laura Ann Jams uses only the freshest, locally-sourced fruits, herbs, and other local ingredients.

"Photographer Alice Zrodlo, who has spent years chronicling the garden.

"Author Fabiana Badie whose book “Garden Teatime” is a Descanso favorite.

"John Kelly Chocolates whose small chocolate factory in Hollywood has turned into an awardwinning brand."

The Store's “private label” products have the Descanso Gardens logo and artwork by Allison Starcher.

"Internationally-known high-end gift and stationery creator Anna Griffin will also be featured," according to the statement.

In a statement issued by the District Attorney's Office after the judge announced his verdict, Gascón said, "The brutality that was meted out on this young child was unimaginable. No child should endure this kind of violence and torture at the hands of the people who are supposed to love and protect him from harm."

Anthony's biological father, Victor Avalos, told reporters after the hearing, "It's hard to find the correct words to explain how I'm feeling right now. ... Nothing's going to bring him back."

He testified during the trial that he split from Barron when the boy was about six or seven months old and that he only saw him on video chats after moving to Mexico to find a job. He said then that he loved the boy "very much" and still can't believe what he's going through.

Heather Barron's sister, Crystal Diuguid, told reporters after the hearing, "I want everyone to remember Anthony as being loved because he was. We loved him very much. But because the system chose to look the other way, he was put in the hands of the devil."

Two of the boy's halfsiblings — who were called during the prosecution's case — testified last month that they had been forced to undergo punishment, including kneeling on uncooked rice, wrestling

"Together, they were deadly," Hatami told the judge, explaining that Barron was the one who "came up with many of these torture techniques" and that she chose Leiva to act as the enforcer for the discipline used on the boy and two of his half-siblings.

"They're bad, bad, evil people. ... They're nothing short of monsters for what they did," Hatami said.

The prosecutor said there was a "very long list of torture that Anthony suffered at the hands of both defendants," including being hit with belts and cords.

"It wasn't just Leiva doing the abuse," Hatami said. "Heather Barron participated in the torture ... Heather Barron participated in the abuse."

Hatami told the judge that the prosecution believes that Barron had seven children within eight years because she "wanted them for the money" she received in government benefits.

One of Barron's attorneys, Nancy Sperber, contended that her client is a victim of battered woman syndrome, and said Leiva had taken "full and complete responsibility for every act of violence" against Anthony.

"I would submit to the court that Ms. Barron ... she didn't have the power to prevent this. She didn't have the power to say no," Sperber told the judge.

She told the judge that Leiva survived his own attempt to slit his throat because he is "so evil" that the devil didn't even want him.

"He admitted to brutalizing Anthony," she said of his interview with Los Angeles County sheriff's detectives. "He confessed to every single act of violence and torture."

One of Leiva's attorneys, Dan Chambers, said in his closing argument that "this case is one of extreme, unjustified, outof-bounds behavior," but added that it doesn't rise to the level of intent to kill.

He said there is "reasonable doubt" on the issues of intent to kill and what actually caused the boy's death.

He told the judge that the intersection between the testimony of two of Anthony's younger halfsiblings and one of Leiva's daughters — who said they saw Leiva repeatedly dropping Anthony — and the medical evidence "will show reasonable doubt on the issue of intent to kill."

He noted that the children initially denied any knowledge of wrongdoing and said that their accounts have changed dramatically since they first spoke to the police.

"Sometimes kids are just wrong. It's not a matter of lying," he told the judge.

He said the medical testimony indicated that there was a "lack of external head injuries" to Anthony.

Leiva's lawyer said it was a "bunch of crap" to