In re R.R. CA4/2

INTRODUCTION

M.R. (father) appeals from the juvenile court’s order terminating parental rights

(Welf. & Inst. Code,1 § 366.26) as to his child, R.R. (the child). Father contends the

matter must be conditionally reversed and remanded because the Riverside County

Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) failed to follow up with him or inquire of

the paternal grandparents about the child’s possible Native American ancestry. B.G.

(mother) filed a separate brief joining in father’s arguments and also arguing that DPSS

failed to inquire of available maternal relative]es. We conditionally reverse the order

terminating parental rights and remand for further proceedings.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On September 12, 2022, DPSS filed a petition on behalf of the child, who was one

week old at the time.2 The petition alleged that the child came within the provisions of

section 300, subdivision (b) (failure to protect).

1 All further statutory references will be to the Welfare and Institutions Code unless otherwise indicated. 2 The petition also included R.H. and O.H., two of mother’s children with another father. R.H. and O.H. are not subjects of this appeal. 2 The social…