In Re Arlyne A.

In this juvenile dependency proceeding, Salvador A. claims the trial court lacked personal jurisdiction over him due to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services' (Department) failure to exercise reasonable diligence in trying to locate him. With respect to appellant, we reverse the orders under review, to the extent they apply to appellant's four biological children, for lack of personal jurisdiction. We remand for further proceedings.

The dependent minors are appellant's step-daughter, Arlyne A. (born in 1989), and appellant's biological children, Marcus (born in 1993), Alfred (born in 1994), Daniel (born in 1995), and Alyssia (born in 1998). The minors' biological mother, Ramona A., is not a party to her husband's appeal. [1]

In about June 1998, Arlyne reported that appellant had been sexually molesting her for several years. At the time, appellant and Ramona were separated. Ramona was then living with all of the minors, at their maternal grandmother's (Elena M.) house in El Monte. Appellant was then living with his parents in Rialto.

Ramona reported Arlyne's sexual molestation allegations to the Temple substation of the Los Angeles County…