In re Edith E. CA2/1

BACKGROUND

The Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) filed a petition on June 4, 2014, alleging against Henry E. (father) under Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, subdivisions (a), (b), and (j)1 that he had physically abused then seven- year-old Edith,2 engaged in a violent altercation with his female companion, Bertha E., and abused alcohol while Edith and her brother Isaiah, who was five at the time, were under his care and supervision. This endangered the children.3 As to mother, the petition alleged under section 300, subdivisions (b), that she had a history of substance abuse and was a recent user of methamphetamine and marijuana including while the children’s half- sibling Gabriela Z. was under her care, rendering her unable to provide regular care of the children, with whom she had failed to reunify due to her substance abuse. The petition also alleged under subdivisions (d) and (j) that mother allowed the children’s half-sibling Gabriela Z. to live in the home of maternal grandmother and her male companion, who had abused mother sexually when she was a minor, which failure to protect also endangered Edith and Isaiah. The detention report…