In re S.L. CA3

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

On May 13, 2014, the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services (Department) received a referral alleging that six-year-old N.L. had come to school with burns on both forearms and circular burns on her stomach. Consequently, at 4:40 p.m. that day, Stefanie Hess, an emergency response social worker, made an unannounced visit to the minor’s home. The minor’s 11-year-old sibling, T.D., answered the door and told the social worker his mother was asleep. T.D. then recanted and stated that there were no adults in the home and he was babysitting N.L. and another younger sister. T.D. stated his mother did not have a phone and he did not know when she would be returning home. An hour later, Hess made another unannounced visit, accompanied by police officers, but no one answered the door. Because mother was on searchable probation and the officers were requested to perform a welfare check, officers entered the home through an unlocked window. Having determined no one was home, the officers suggested Hess see the condition of the home. Hess went into the house and saw that the home had three bedrooms and one bathroom. None of the beds had sheets or…