In re Ella S. CA1/2

STATEMENT OF THE CASE AND FACTS

When Ella was removed from her mother’s custody in September 2007, there were no known relatives available for placement.1 After she was declared a dependent and the

1 Much of our description of the history of this case from its inception until the fall of 2014 will repeat the description set forth in our unpublished opinion on a prior appeal. (In re Ella S. (Aug. 27, 2015, A143338) 2015 WL 5062467.)

1 mother’s reunification services were terminated, the court initially ordered a permanent plan of legal guardianship. Then, when the mother stopped visiting, the court set aside the guardianship order in favor of a plan of adoption. Appellant learned that Ella existed when the Alameda County Social Services Agency (Agency), attempting to locate and serve the mother with notice of a Welfare and Institutions Code2 section 366.26 hearing set for December 2009, mailed letters to the mother’s parents. Appellant responded by seeking visitation and placement of the child with him. After several weeks of what appellant felt was the Agency discouraging him from coming forward, he had his first visit with Ella. As time went on, Ella had frequent visits with…