In re S.S. CA4/2

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On December 15, 2020, personnel from plaintiff and respondent, San Bernardino

County Children and Family Services (department), received an immediate response

referral alleging physical abuse, emotional abuse, and general neglect. The reporter

alleged that on December 14, 2020, mother’s husband handcuffed mother’s daughter,

T.S. (age 14),1 and dragged her to a neighbor’s home to return cigarettes she had stolen.

He then left her handcuffed overnight.

Mother told the social worker that the father had slapped T.S. in the face and left

her handcuffed from 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. She reported domestic violence

between she and her husband five years earlier. Mother said she used marijuana every

day. Mother reported she had been diagnosed as “Schizoaffective” three years earlier

and managed her mental health with medication.

Mother’s husband said he had handcuffed T.S. overnight because otherwise she

would have run away. He said he had obtained the handcuffs several weeks earlier and

had handcuffed T.S. four times but usually only for a few hours. Mother’s husband also

reported using marijuana daily. He said that he and mother…