In re Nathan Z. CA1/2

BACKGROUND

Original Section 602 Petition Nathan’s behavioral problems began when he was a young child. When he was 10 years old, his problems escalated when he learned of the death of his father, whom he

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

1 had never met. By the time Nathan was 12, he was spiraling downward so his mother sent him away to a series of private placements in Idaho, Montana, and Utah. After two years, Nathan’s mother ran out of funds for the private placements so, in the summer of 2010, when Nathan was 14 years old, he returned home. According to Nathan, he was traumatized by being sent away from home at a young age, as well as for being sent to various programs where there was seemingly no end in sight. After he returned home, he was very angry with his mother, resenting her for having sent him away. In October 2010, shortly after Nathan’s return, he was arrested for possession of marijuana at school. The matter was referred to juvenile probation, but it was not prosecuted. On November 17, Nathan got into an argument with his mother, during which he pushed her, causing her to hit her head on a wall. Nathan fled and remained missing…