Child advocates hold vigil to honor Gavin Peterson, push for stronger child abuse laws

UTAH (ABC4) —Gavin Peterson, a 12-year-old boy from West Haven died one year ago today as the result of prolonged abuse and neglect. 

In May, his father and stepmother were both sentenced and will serve anywhere from 20 years to life in prison. Today, a small group of child advocates gathered for a vigil to remember Gavin and shine a light on the need for reform of child abuse laws.   

“I would have taken him in a heartbeat,” Susan Phillips said as her voice cracked with emotion. “I would have done anything for a kid like that.”  

On the one-year anniversary of Gavin Peterson’s death, child advocates tie blue ribbons, pinwheels and notes to the small tree planted in his honor at Country Park in West Haven.  

When asked what she would tell Gavin if he were here today, Rachel Reynolds replied: “That he’s so strong. That he matters. That he is so important to everybody, and that he made an impact on everybody’s life that knew him. His friends miss him, everybody at the school misses him, and we all love him.”  

Some people knew Gavin firsthand like Rachel Reynolds, an aide at his former school. “Gavin was a very sweet little boy who had nothing but kindness in his heart and a big smile every day,” she noted of his personality. Others were totals stranger, like Sabrina Tracy. “I love you even though I never met you,” Tracy stated. “Your eyes and your smile said it all. I wish that we had got there to you sooner.” It’s clear that Gavin’s life continues to impact the community.   

Susan Phillips, Rachel Reynolds and Sabrina Tracy are organizing a new advocacy group in hopes of changing how the Utah Department of Children and Family Services handles child abuse cases. “We will fight to do better in Utah,” said Phillips.  

“We’re going to make change for you [Gavin] and we’re going to make a difference because your life mattered,” stated Tracy.  

“I have four grandkids, and I want to see them in a happier, healthier place, and I don’t want to see their friends be in this situation,” added Phillips.  

They’re also calling on lawmakers to help. “I know Christine Watkins (R-Price) tried really hard to talk to the senators to propose a warrant bill,” Tracy told ABC4, referring to H.B 83. The vigil organizers said they’re not giving up. They are calling on lawmakers to sit down, talk about the subject, and enact a warrant bill.  

“It’s so simple,” Tracy said. “It’s a simple warrant bill to go in when we haven’t seen a kid that’s in the system who’s been pulled out [of school] and has a history of abuse. We just want to make sure they’re okay and I don’t think that’s asking a lot.”  

That’s what happened in Gavin’s case. When staff, like Reynolds, noticed he was losing weight and wasn’t given money for lunch at school, they would feed him. He then stopped coming to school. Reynolds told ABC4 that his stepmother reportedly said they decided to homeschool Gavin, because staff was feeding him when they shouldn’t have been. Multiple school staff notified law enforcement of possible abuse.  

Now, they essentially want law enforcement to be able to get a warrant to do a welfare check on a child if that child’s school reports potential abuse.  

The organizers believe had there been such a law, it could have saved Gavin. They will continue to push for a bill. “That way there’s not more children like Gavin,” Reynolds said. “And so, I am fighting for the rest of the children.”