B.R.

INTRODUCTION

At a 12-month review hearing held in February 2021, the juvenile court determined that releasing minor Judith R. (born December 2006) to the custody of petitioner-father B.R. would result in a substantial risk of physical detriment to her, because she had claimed she would kill herself if returned to his custody. The court terminated Father’s reunification services and set a permanency planning hearing under Welfare and Institutions Code section 366.26.1 Father timely challenged this order via a writ petition for extraordinary relief, and we issued an order to show cause why the petition should not be granted and stayed the hearing. While Judith has filed an answer to the petition, Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) declined to do so.

Undesignated references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code.

2 In his petition, Father argues the court erred in finding detriment because: (a) based on her history of contradictory statements and “manufactured threats and episodes,” Judith’s statements were not credible; (b) Judith’s ability to receive the same services she was currently receiving would have adequately protected her if the…