In re Solomon B.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. The Family Mother has two children with Father. Solomon was born in 2015, and Samuel followed in 2016. Mother and Father lived together with the children until 2019. During that time, Mother and Father had a volatile relationship, regularly fighting in front of the children. The family had been referred to the Department once before following one of these altercations. In December of 2015, Mother threw a chair at Father’s head, resulting in her arrest. Both parents agreed to participate in protective services, and their voluntary family maintenance case was eventually dismissed. In November 2018, police were called to the home after Father pushed Mother against a wall, repeatedly punched her face, and attempted to strangle her. Father was arrested and convicted of domestic violence charges. On September 15, 2019, Mother left the family home, sending Father a text message notifying him that she was leaving the children in his custody. She later told social workers that she was “overwhelmed” by raising the children in the

3 chaotic, violent environment caused by her and Father’s “toxic” relationship. She said that she felt that she needed to…