County of Sonoma v. County of Marin

The parents of Ramona S., now 14 years of age, were divorced. Thereafter in 1970 Ramona’s father was awarded her custody by an order of the superior court. Nevertheless, Ramona resided with her mother in Sonoma County until October 10, 1975. On that date, with her mother’s approval, she began living with her father and stepmother who were and are residents of Marin County. Twenty days later, October 30, 1975, Ramona ran away from her father’s Marin County home; three days after that she appeared at her mother’s home in Sonoma County. Upon being advised by the girl’s mother of her whereabouts, Ramona’s father returned her to his Marin County home. At this point Ramona had stated “she wants to go home to her father very, very badly and if allowed to do so, she would make every effort to change her behavior.”

Upon Welfare and Institutions Code section 601 proceedings Ramona was, on November 26, 1975, declared a ward of the Marin County Juvenile Court. Her custody was removed from both parents but she was placed by the court in her father’s Marin County home. On December 10, 1975, Ramona again ran away and her whereabouts were unknown until, two days later, she appeared at…