In re T.T. CA3

BACKGROUND

In September 2010, the minor (born April 2008) lived with mother, his father T.T., and his five half siblings. Mother told the police the eldest child, 14-year-old D.P., was out of control and she wanted the police to take him away. The children were taken into protective custody after mother admitted beating them with an electrical cord and officers saw old and new marks on the children consistent with them being whipped by an electrical cord. Several of the children told social workers that mother and minor’s father beat the children with belts, a broom, and extension cords. Mother also bit D.P. on the shoulder. Mother said she returned home and found it was a mess, so she asked D.P. to clean up. When D.P. “got in [her] face,” she hit him with an extension cord and bit him so he would get off of her. Mother weighed 260 pounds and D.P. weighed about 140 pounds. Mother’s extensive child welfare history included 20 prior child welfare referrals, and she had her reunification services terminated for several children in a prior dependency proceeding. In September 2010, the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) filed a dependency petition…