In re A.L. CA1/4

BACKGROUND

The Initial Dependency Proceeding In December 2018, the Department filed a petition under section 300 for Al. and An., then six and three years old, respectively. The petition alleged the children were at risk of serious harm because Mother and Father engaged in physical violence with Al. in the zone of danger (§ 300, subd. (a)), and Mother and Father exposed the children to domestic violence on at least eight occasions (§ 300, subd. (b)). Under section 300, subdivision (g), the petition stated Father was incarcerated and unable to provide care and support. The petition also alleged that Mother received a criminal protective order (the protective

2 order) against Father in November 2018, and police arrested Father for violations of this order numerous times. The Department’s report in support of the petition summarized nine reports of domestic violence between Mother and Father or violations of domestic violence protective orders, dating back to August 2016. When confronted with the seriousness of the situation, Mother said she would be willing to move to another home or into a domestic violence shelter to protect the children. The children were detained. The…