Maria Gill is not speaking in abstractions or policy debates—she is speaking about her 14-year-old son, Jeremy Rosales, known as “Tank,” who was shot and killed in January near their Victorville home. Now, as the case moves through the system, she is confronting a reality she says she never expected: one of the accused, a 16-year-old, could be released by his mid-twenties due to California’s juvenile justice laws.
At the center of her frustration is Proposition 57, a measure passed by voters in 2016 and later implemented under then-Governor Jerry Brown, with support from then-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law changed how juveniles are prosecuted, removing the ability for prosecutors to directly charge minors as adults. Instead, they must go through a judicial process to argue that a juvenile cannot be rehabilitated within the youth system.
For Gill, that process feels disconnected from the severity of the crime.
Her son’s final day began like any other. She last saw him the morning of January 16. By that evening, he had been lured to Mojave Vista Park, a familiar spot near their home where local teens often gathered. What happened next remains unclear. Authorities say Jeremy was found alive but critically wounded after deputies responded to a call around 8:21 p.m. He later died at a hospital.
Two suspects were arrested weeks later: 27-year-old Abel Ramirez and a 16-year-old, identified by investigators as Ramirez’s nephew. Both face murder charges, though the motive has not been publicly established. Ramirez has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody on $1 million bail, with court proceedings ongoing. The teenager is being held in a juvenile facility.
Jeremy’s life, as described by those who knew him, followed a steady and disciplined path. He played football at Team Elite Sports Academy, earned strong grades at Oak Hills High School, and was regarded by coaches and teammates as dependable and focused. At a vigil attended by hundreds, his coach described him in simple terms: a hard worker, a committed student, and a reliable teammate.
Those details now sit alongside a legal process that Gill believes does not reflect the gravity of what happened. She has joined other families calling for changes to Proposition 57, particularly in cases involving violent crimes. Some want prosecutors to regain broader authority to try juveniles as adults under specific circumstances.
State officials have pointed out that the law was approved by voters before Newsom took office, and that its intent was to reduce incarceration rates while emphasizing rehabilitation for younger offenders.
