In re J.S. CA3

BACKGROUND

Petition/Detention On October 9, 2012, the Yolo County Department of Employment and Social Services (Department) filed petitions for J.S. born 2010 and H.S. born July 2012, alleging both children were at risk of abuse or neglect because of injuries suffered by their sibling S.S. also born July 2012, allegedly caused by one or both of the children’s parents.2 The following day the children were removed from the parents and later placed with their maternal grandparents. On October 9, 2012, S.S. died in the hospital. The Department then amended the petitions to allege the surviving siblings, J.S. and H.S., were at risk because the children’s parents caused the death of S.S. (§ 300, subd. (f).) In March 2013, the Yolo County Sheriff/Coroner’s Office completed the autopsy report on S.S.’s death. The manner of death was determined to be homicide, caused by “severe traumatic brain injury and bilateral neuro-ocular injury (acute and chronic)” described as “recurrent brain injuries.”

H.S. and S.S. were twins.

2 The petitions were amended a third time in April 2013 to include an advisory that the Department would rely on section 355.1, subdivision (a), to establish…