In re M.J. CA3

BACKGROUND

The minor was detained and dependency jurisdiction was first established by the Placer County Juvenile Court, which sustained amended allegations pursuant to section 300, subdivisions (b) and (j), based on the parents’ substance abuse histories and abuse of the minor’s half siblings. The minor was placed with maternal aunt Me.G.,2 who had previously adopted one of the minor’s half siblings, Ma.G. Maternal grandmother had legal guardianship of another one of the minor’s half siblings, Jo.G. The minor and her half siblings saw each other on a somewhat regular basis for family events. Thereafter, the matter was transferred to the Sacramento County Juvenile Court. Throughout the dependency proceedings, the parents made little to no progress with reunification services and had minimal, inconsistent visitation with the minor. The juvenile court terminated the parents’ reunification services and set the matter for a section 366.26 hearing. The November 2023 selection and implementation report stated that the minor had four maternal half siblings, three of whom had been removed from mother’s care and subsequently adopted out. The report stated that “[o]ne maternal half-sibling…