In re H.S. CA3

FACTS

The Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services (Department) filed a petition in August 2014 alleging the three-year-old, non-verbal autistic minor, H.S., was at risk of sexual abuse because father molested the minor’s nine-year-old half sibling and the mother knew or should have known of the abuse and failed to protect the half sibling. The court sustained the petition, removed the minor from parental custody, and ordered reunification services for the parents. The judgment was affirmed on appeal in case number C078319. The six-month review report filed in June 2015 recommended further reunification services for the parents. Both parents had completed, or were near completing, the plan requirements. Mother’s therapist did not recommend further counseling, stating mother had met the requirements of non-offending counseling. Mother had disclosed in therapy that she believed the half sibling had been sexually abused, but not by the father of the minor. Father’s therapist also did not recommend further sessions. The therapist said father was participating in the sessions but denied sexual abuse of the half sibling. “[B]ased on the father’s personality and…