A petition demanding an independent investigation into Kern County Child Protective Services has collected 1,055 signatures.

It comes in response to the death of Genesis Mata, 8, whose body was found August 2 in a bathtub inside a central Bakersfield motel.

The petition was launched by Josephina Villareal whose nephew died from abuse. She says CPS failed to act despite repeated reports about the conditions in Genesis Mata’s household.

Mata’s father, Ray Mata, Jr., 31, and stepmother, Graciela Bustamonte, 27, are charged with murder and torture.

Villareal organized last Friday’s protest outside the county’s human services office.

You can view the petition titles “Demand Independent Investigation into Kern County CPS” at change.org.