In re Ruben C. CA2/2

FACTS

Ruben C. (born in 2004) and Brandon M. (born in 2006) were detained by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in July 2010, along with two sisters ages one and eight months. The children‟s 22-year-old mother Daisy C. (Mother) was pregnant with her fifth child. The father of the three younger children, Andy M., was arrested on outstanding warrants, after the police found drug paraphernalia in the family‟s motel room. He disclosed a criminal history dating to age 11. Mother admitted to using methamphetamine and cocaine during her current pregnancy. In an interview, Connie H.—who is either a relative or a close family friend— stated that Mother previously lived with her to have a stable home for Ruben when he was a baby.1 Two years later, Mother became pregnant with Brandon, despite Ms. H.‟s efforts to encourage Mother to complete her schooling. Mother moved out of Ms. H.‟s home. Since then, Mother has been “bouncing around” and repeatedly getting pregnant. Ruben is six years old, but Mother never enrolled him in school. Ms. H. described the children as “out of control” when they are with Mother. Ms. H. had Brandon in her home on weekends, and they became very…