San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency v. Terrance J.

*1346 Opinion

Terrance J., a resident of Alabama, appeals a judgment declaring his minor son, Jaheim B., a dependent of the juvenile court and removing Jaheim from his custody. Terrance contends the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) (Earn. Code, 1 § 3400 et seq.) and should have declined to exercise jurisdiction. 2 We conclude the court properly exercised its jurisdiction and accordingly, we affirm the judgment.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On January 7, 2008, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (Agency) filed a petition on behalf of two-year-old Jaheim under Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, subdivision (b). The petition alleged Bridgette, Jaheim’s mother, left Jaheim unattended and unsupervised about 100 yards from the front door of a relative’s home. According to the detention report, witnesses saw Bridgette leave Jaheim in a parking lot. Jaheim ran after his mother calling “mommy, mommy!” Bridgette got into a car and drove away. The police reported that Bridgette stated she could not handle Jaheim anymore and admitted she left Jaheim in the parking…