In re A.C. CA3

I. BACKGROUND

On February 19, 2013, a section 300 petition was filed in Santa Clara County regarding the two-year-old minor. The petition alleged mother left the minor with roommates for over 10 days without provisions for the minor’s care and supervision, and mother’s and the alleged father’s whereabouts were both unknown. A report filed for the initial hearing stated that maternal great-aunt Kathi D. and her husband had taken custody of the minor in early February 2013 in Paradise (Butte County), California, from an adult female who said mother had left the minor with her in January 2013. Kathi D. said she could no longer care for the minor because of the minor’s “disturbing behaviors,” and because mother, a substance abuser with untreated mental health problems, had frequently called and threatened Kathi D.’s life. The minor’s father, Daniel C., was allegedly incarcerated for 10 years.2 Another maternal great-aunt, Valarie C., who lived in Paradise, California, had requested consideration for placement of the minor. Valarie C. stated that mother was estranged from her family, had older children who lived with their father in Concord, California, and had abandoned this minor…