The concept of the "child at risk" can be broadly defined as the situation in which children are exposed to risks and dangers that are not in line with their developmental stages, requiring the need for protection. The traditional paradigm, which asserts that the responsibilities of protecting, caring for, and raising a child lie within the obligations of the parents, has evolved in conjunction with the widespread acceptance of the social state principle. With this evolution, there is an understanding that the state also plays a role in ensuring the well-being of children. Particularly in the implementation of protective and inclusive models for at-risk children, social services are crucial instruments for states. Failures in social systems, inadequate transfer of preventive and protective interventions, and the lack of competent professionals and comprehensive resources for the protection system can render social service activities dysfunctional, thereby exposing children to threats and risks. These threats and risks can seriously harm the child's biopsychosocial integrity and development, hindering their growth into a healthy individual and even leading to child deaths. One of the most striking examples highlighting the importance and functionality of social work in child protection, as well as the 24 5th INTERNATIONAL MULTI-DISCIPLINARY CHILDREN'S STUDIES CONGRESS December 6-7, 2023-Ankara potential consequences of problems within the system, is the case of Gabriel Fernandez. Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old boy born in the United States, lost his life due to systematic abuse and torture inflicted by his mother and her boyfriend. Throughout this abuse, social service professionals were monitoring and reporting the case. However, the lack of thorough monitoring of Gabriel himself, failure to include him in the protective system, and the absence of solution-focused strategies contributed to his tragic death. The inadequate intervention by social workers in the Gabriel Fernandez case, allowing the abuse to go unnoticed in blind spots within the system, prompted criticisms of the child protection policies implemented by the state. This case demonstrates that prioritizing attention to the child's indicators and operationalizing protective measures that prioritize the child's welfare should be the fundamental priority of the state and social services. This study aims to analyze the example case and the documentary focusing on the case using the qualitative content analysis method, with the goal of revealing crucial points in the collaboration between social work and the social state.