J.C.

I. BACKGROUND

In June 2023, the Contra Costa County Children & Family Services Bureau (Bureau) received a referral stating that mother repeatedly left infant P.P. alone in the home of the maternal grandmother and maternal aunt without letting anyone know she was leaving and without asking anyone to care for the infant. It was further suspected that mother was using marijuana. Two months later, while the initial referral was still pending, mother texted an acquaintance with whom she was living to tell her she was going to work and was leaving P.P. unattended. Mother claimed the baby would be “fine.” When the housemate saw the text over four hours later, she asked a friend to go check on P.P. Approximately five hours after mother left the minor alone, the friend found P.P. in the residence, crying, disheveled, and wearing extremely soiled clothing. The baby was transported to the hospital, where it was observed she had a bump and bruising on her left temple. Mother was eventually cited for child endangerment. She acknowledged that she had “messed up” and that this was not the first time she had left the minor alone when going to work. Before she left on this occasion, she had not…