In re N.G. CA4/2

INTRODUCTION

Vanessa C. (Mother) appeals from the juvenile court’s order terminating her

parental rights to her two sons, N. and J., and her daughter, L. She argues that the

Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) failed to comply with the

inquiry and notice provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. § 1901

et seq.) (ICWA) and related state law. We conclude that DPSS failed to discharge its

duty of initial inquiry as to L.1 We therefore conditionally reverse the order terminating

parental rights to that child only and remand with directions.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The subjects of this appeal are Mother’s 13-year-old son N., her eight-year-old son

J., and her four-year-old daughter L. (together, the children). The children each have

different fathers, none of whom is a party to this appeal. In February 2022, DPSS filed

dependency petitions for the children pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section

300, subdivisions (b) and (g), alleging that Mother’s diagnosed but untreated mental

health disorders (including bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression) placed the children

at risk of harm, that the fathers’ whereabouts were…