P.C.

BACKGROUND

In July 2013, mother phoned police to complain she could no longer care for her children D.C. (born 2010) and N.C. (born 2013). When her initial call resulted in little action, she called again, threatening to leave her children in a hallway and stating her son D.C. was bleeding. This was at least the seventh time since 2011 mother had asked police to step in and detain her children. Because of the threat, the police obliged. They also arrested mother for child endangerment.

1 The Alameda County Social Services Agency filed a dependency petition on behalf of N.C. N.C. was detained and began living with foster parents. A 2011 dependency petition on behalf of D.C. had already been filed; it eventually resulted in dismissal with D.C.’s father taking custody. Only N.C.’s status is at issue on appeal. Mother, a single parent who has never married, struggles with mental health issues, namely anxiety and depression. She also suffers from impaired “cognitive functioning” that compromises her ability to understand the consequences of her actions, an impairment also described in agency reports as “mild mental retardation.” She is easily overwhelmed by the demands of ordinary…