In re Alison O. CA2/2

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

I. Facts

Mother and father have one child together, Alison, who was born in June 2011.1 Mother and father had a tumultuous relationship. They had verbal arguments all the time. In March 2011, mother got so upset from an argument with father that she slashed her abdomen and wrist with a knife—while six months pregnant with Alison.

Mother has three other children with different fathers— Roger (born 2004), Mercedez (born 2005), and Diamond (born 2007). None of these children is involved in this appeal.

2 Mother and father broke off their romantic relationship in 2016, and informally shared custody of Alison. In early 2019, father started dating someone new and mother became obsessed with father and his new girlfriend. Mother would visit the girlfriend’s social media accounts, download photos, and tell Alison things like “this is your new mom” and “your dad doesn’t love us anymore.” In February 2019, mother called father pleading to get back together; on the call, mother threatened to kill herself, and after dousing herself with gasoline, told father that he was “going to hear it,” struck a match, and lit her torso on fire, causing burns to…