Jose S. v. Superior Court CA2/6

Facts and Procedural Background In July 2023, Isaac M. was born prematurely at 25 weeks. He suffered serious health issues and was placed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for three months following his birth. In November 2023, Kern County Department of Human Services (DHS) secured a protective custody warrant to detain Isaac from mother’s care after she failed to take Isaac to five scheduled medical appointments and did not reschedule. At the detention hearing, the juvenile court detained Isaac after finding a prima facie case existed pursuant to section 300, and no reasonable means existed to prevent detention. In December 2023, DHS prepared a jurisdiction and disposition report, recommending Isaac remain in out-of-home care and that parents be offered reunification services. The juvenile court adopted the recommendations and ordered DHS to provide both parents with six months of reunification services. In June 2024, at the six-month status review hearing, DHS reported that father’s whereabouts were unknown and that he had made no progress in his case plan. DHS recommended that father’s services be terminated. Mother’s progress had been “moderate,” and DHS recommended that she…