In re S.P. CA1/5

BACKGROUND

A.

The San Francisco County Human Services Agency filed this dependency petition in January 2024, alleging that there was a substantial risk that the then three-year-old child would suffer serious physical harm based on mother’s failure or

1 inability to adequately protect him. (See Welf. & Inst. Code, § 300, subd. (b)(1)(A).)1 In support of the petition, the Agency alleged that the child was at risk in light of his teenaged half- sibling N.’s report that mother “has kicked, slapped, and punched [her] on her body in the recent past.” The Agency also alleged that “[t]he family has an extensive child welfare history with 29 prior referrals with concerns about general neglect, emotional abuse[,] and physical abuse.” The 29 previous child welfare referrals did not result in any cases.2 The Agency did not detain the child, and he remained in mother’s custody during the proceedings.

N. recounted that in June or July of 2023, mother had slapped, punched, kicked, and degraded her during an argument over N.’s possession of a cell phone which mother had not authorized. Although no injuries were reported, N. called 911 and the police took her to a home called Huckleberry House…