In re S.C. CA1/1

I. Background and Commencement of Proceedings

On January 2, 2014, the Alameda County Social Services Agency (Agency) filed a dependency petition alleging that five-year-old S.C. came within section 300, subdivision (b).2 The petition alleged that on December 29, 2013, Mother left the child with his 17- year-old sibling and did not return for a day and a half. During this time, she did not answer her phone or return any calls made by the minors or the police. Mother reportedly stated that she “wanted to teach her children a lesson on how to appreciate her.” The petition also alleged that S.C., Sr. (Father) had an outstanding felony warrant for domestic violence against Mother.3 He had created a detrimental home environment by engaging in acts of domestic violence, placing S.C. at risk of physical and/or emotional harm. At the time of his removal on December 31, 2013, S.C. lived with Mother. S.C. was placed in foster care. On January 3, 2014, the Agency filed a detention report. According to the report, when Mother left the home and could not be reached, her 17-year-old daughter contacted the police and filed a missing persons report. Mother later told the police she left “in…