In re M.F. CA4/3

FACTS

After briefly dating Father in 2017, M.L. (Mother) became pregnant. She gave birth to M. in 2018. Father did not think M. was his child, but nevertheless cared for M. for brief periods when he was a toddler and sent money for the child’s support. Mother also left M. in Father’s care for an extended period from summer 2020 to summer 2021. In 2021, when back in Mother’s custody, M. ran across a four- lane street and was almost hit by a car. Mother was arrested for child endangerment and for being under the influence of methamphetamine. Father and another man were identified as the child’s “alleged” fathers but could not be located. The Orange County Social Services Agency filed a Welfare and Institutions Code1 section 300 petition, citing Mother’s inappropriate supervision of M., her unresolved substance abuse and mental health issues, and the alleged fathers’ unknown whereabouts. M. was temporarily detained and placed with local foster parents. A week later, Father reached out to the Agency about M., and the juvenile court appointed counsel for him and authorized paternity testing. But Father stopped communicating with the Agency after it asked about his extensive criminal…