Tulare County Department of Public Social Services v. Brenda K.

Brenda K. appeals from juvenile court dispositional orders adjudging her minor children dependents and removing them from her custody. The mother’s alcohol abuse and emotional problems are at the root of these proceedings. On appeal, she contends her problems have not adversely affected her children and therefore the juvenile court’s findings and orders are unjustified. We will affirm.

On March 11, 1993, Tulare County Child Protective Services (CPS) detained 17-year-old Richard K. 1 and his 14-year-old sister Melissa K. In turn, the county’s department of public social services (Department) petitioned the juvenile court to declare the two teenagers dependent children pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code 2 section 300, subdivisions (b) (failure to protect), (c) (serious emotional damage), and (i) (cruelty). 3 Immediately prior to this intervention, both children were living with their mother; their father lived in Louisiana and never participated in these proceedings.

The mother did not appear at a jurisdiction hearing set for early April 1993. Consequently, the court took the mother’s default and sustained the petition on all three grounds as to Richard and on…