AMBER K. v. Superior Court

Petitioner Amber K. (mother) filed a petition for extraordinary writ pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 38.1(a), regarding her children, J.P., D.A., S.M., and D.L. (the children). Mother contends that the juvenile court erred in denying her reunification services under Welfare and Institutions Code section 361.5, subdivision (b), and erred in finding that reunification was not in the children’s best interest. We deny mother’s writ petition.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On January 27, 2005, the San Bernardino County Department of Children’s Services (DCS) filed section 300 petitions on behalf of the children. The petition of J.P., who was three months old at the time, alleged that he came within section 300, subdivisions (b) (failure to protect) and (g) (no provision for support). His petition specifically alleged that he had suffered serious physical harm due to mother’s neglect and inability to provide regular care for him, as shown by his being underweight. The detention report further described J.P. as severely malnourished and suffering from “failure to thrive syndrome.” The petition also alleged that mother suffered from a substance abuse problem and…