In re Aiden L. CA2/3

INTRODUCTION

Father appeals from the order of the juvenile court declaring his son Aiden (2.5 years old) a dependent of the court. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 300.)1 Father contends the court abused its discretion in denying him all contact with the child based solely on the child’s age. We reverse.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Aiden was detained from his mother, Nicole C.,2 after she was arrested on drug- related charges and left Aiden in the care of her boyfriend’s sister. The child was filthy. Father had been involved in another dependency and was denied visitation with another child for failure to comply with his case plan. Father had also multiple convictions for possession of controlled substance and one conviction for infliction of corporal injury on a spouse. The social worker located father in jail in Los Angeles on a conviction of possession of controlled substance where he was serving a 16-month sentence. At the detention hearing, the juvenile court found father to be Aiden’s presumed father. The court ordered family reunification services for father. Father appeared at the following hearing and informed the court that his release date was February 23, 2013. The…