In re S.M. CA4/3

FACTS

I.

DETENTION AND SECTION 300 PETITION

In August 2022, four-year-old S.M. was taken into protective custody because of a domestic violence incident between her mother (Mother) and stepfather.2 At the time, Father had been residing in various hotels for about one year after returning to California from out-of-state. Father had previously been arrested for domestic violence against Mother, and his criminal history also included convictions for theft and violation of a protective order, as well as July 2022 charges for drug possession. The Orange County Social Services Agency (SSA) then filed a dependency petition under section 300 as to S.M., alleging, inter alia, that Mother had exposed her to domestic violence and may have had an unresolved substance abuse problem. The petition also included allegations as to Father, alleging domestic violence and potential substance abuse and

1 All undesignated statutory references are to the Welfare and

Institutions Code.

2 Mother was arrested for assaulting the stepfather. She is not a

party to this appeal.

2 claiming he did not have a safe and stable home for the child. The juvenile court ordered S.M. detained from parental…