In re R.L.

INTRODUCTION

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) appeals from the dismissal of its petition for minor R.L. under Welfare and Institutions Code 1 section 300, subdivisions (a) and (b). DCFS alleged that R.L. came within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court because the then-10-month-old child was injured in a motor vehicle accident where the father was driving, the child was seated in the mother’s lap rather than secured in a car seat, and both parents were under the influence of alcohol. The juvenile court dismissed the petition, finding that DCFS failed to meet its burden of proving R.L. was at a current risk of harm based on this isolated incident of parental neglect. We conclude the juvenile court did not err in dismissing the petition because the evidence did not compel a finding in favor of jurisdiction as a matter of law. We accordingly affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

1. Dependency petition Kimberly G. (Mother) and Omar L. (Father) are the parents of R.L., a boy born in July 2023. In May 2024, DCFS received a referral alleging that the family was involved in a motor vehicle accident in which Father was driving above the…