In re Sarai P. CA2/2

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

I. Facts

A. The family Father and mother married in May 2017. They have two children together—Sarai P. (born April 2018) and Jared P. (born January 2020). Mother also has two older children by another

2 father—Bryan M. (born December 2006) and Jaime M. (born August 2011). B. Father’s acts of domestic violence One night in April 2019, father straddled mother’s body while on their bed, strangled her until she lost consciousness, and then slapped her 10 times on the cheeks. Sarai was awake and on the bed the whole time. When police arrived, they noticed redness on mother’s face. Mother told police that this was not the first time father had been physical with her. Bryan confirmed that this was not the first such incident.

II. Procedural Background

A. Father’s contact with the children is restricted 1. As to Sarai, Bryan, and Jaime On June 3, 2019, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (the Department) filed a petition asking the juvenile court to exercise dependency jurisdiction over Sarai, Bryan, and Jaime.1 The petition alleged the facts underlying the April 2019 incident, and invoked jurisdiction…