In re Eric A. CA4/1

BACKGROUND

In November 2014, the Agency filed dependency petitions for seven-year-old Eric

and five-year-old A.A. Together, the petitions alleged the following. The children's

mother, M.R., had custody. She had been chronically homeless and admitted suffering

from anxiety and depression. She used amphetamines and subjected the children to an

unsafe living environment. In May, A.A. was stuck by a syringe in the hotel room where

they resided. M.R. refused to participate in voluntary services.

At the time the petitions were filed, Raul's whereabouts were unknown. At the

detention hearing, the court ordered the Agency to search for Raul. The children were

detained in the home of a maternal uncle, where they had been living since June 2014.

Also living in the home were the children's three older half-siblings (the half-siblings),

M.R.'s children. The children were bonded with their half-siblings and preferred not to

be separated from them.

By early December 2014, the Agency had found Raul. He was living in

Oklahoma with his three children, aged eight to 17, from another relationship. Raul

2 acknowledged he had a criminal history, including crimes…