In re A.S. CA2/2

BACKGROUND

1. The Family Prior to the initiation of the proceedings below, mother and daughter lived with maternal grandmother and other maternal relatives. Daughter had developmental delays and, during the underlying proceedings, was diagnosed with autism. Mother did not know who daughter’s father was. L.S. was mother’s ex-boyfriend and initially was named as “father” in the underlying section 300 petition. L.S. believed he was daughter’s father, but was unsure. Sometimes mother said he was and sometimes she said he was not. A family law custody order granted joint custody of daughter to mother and L.S. However, mother did not abide by that order. Mother and L.S. had a contentious and “toxic” relationship, including domestic violence. They each made serious accusations, often unsubstantiated or false, against the other (e.g., physical and sexual abuse, drug use, threatened violence) and harassed each other on social media. Although at various times criminal protective orders protected mother, maternal grandmother, a maternal uncle, and daughter from L.S., they did not always comply with those orders. For some time, maternal grandmother allowed L.S. to live in her home with…