In re F.F. CA4/2

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On October 6, 2023, personnel from plaintiff and respondent, San Bernardino

County Children and Family Services (the department), received a referral alleging that

A.F. (mother)2 tested positive for fentanyl and amphetamines after giving birth to minor.

Healthcare workers took minor to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) because she

was suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

Mother admitted using heroin daily throughout her pregnancy; she also admitted

using methamphetamine twice weekly until she was six months pregnant. Mother said

she lived with father, that he knew she was using drugs, and that he tried to get her to

stop using during her pregnancy.

Mother had been the subject of two prior department referrals. In 2016, the

juvenile court removed mother’s son from her custody due, in part, to his positive test for

methamphetamine and opiates at the time of his birth. The juvenile court subsequently

terminated mother’s parental rights to her son.

1 All further statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code.

2 Mother is not a party to the appeal.

3 Mother’s son was not father’s offspring.

2 Mother had two…