In re V.S. CA1/4

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

On November 16, 2012, the Sonoma County Human Services Department (the Department) filed a section 300 petition alleging that V.S. was at substantial risk of harm because parents have substance abuse problems.2 The petition alleged that both V.S. and

1 All further statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code. 2 Father has not filed an appeal in this matter.

1 mother tested positive for marijuana at V.S.’s birth. Mother had also tested positive for marijuana about two weeks prior to V.S.’s birth and had used marijuana throughout her pregnancy. The petition further alleged that mother had prior arrests for possession of drug paraphernalia and various controlled substances. She had also suffered a conviction for driving while under the influence of alcohol, and had been arrested several times for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The court ordered that V.S. be detained. V.S. was suffering from major withdrawals from benzodiazepines and remained in the neonatal intensive care unit at the hospital. The Department’s report for the jurisdiction/disposition hearing stated that V.S. should remain hospitalized to treat symptoms…