Welfare Worker Fired After Abuse Death

A welfare worker has been fired for mishandling the case of a 6-year-old girl who was murdered by her mother after months of abuse. The death led to an overhaul of the city’s child welfare services.

An arbitrator had recommended the firing of Adriano Avalo on Aug. 20, said Maggie Lear, spokeswoman for the city’s Children’s Services Administration.

The battered body of Elisa Izquierdo was found Nov. 22, 1995, in her family’s Manhattan apartment. Her mother, Awilda Lopez, 29, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Investigators said that although the Child Welfare Agency knew of Elisa’s situation, Avalo ignored signs that it was getting worse and failed to make required visits to the family.