A.R.

Appellant A.R. (Father) is the father of two boys, L.B. (bom in September of 2005) and A. (bom in September of 2007). This case came to the attention of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (the DCFS) when, on November 2, 2007, DCFS received a referral that M. (Mother), the children’s mother and the mother of their half sister, six-year-old J., had been evicted from a residential substance abuse program due to a positive drug test. Mother left the drug program on October 29, 2007, with the two younger children, a newborn and a two year old.

DCFS was not able to locate Mother or the two boys. J. was located at her elementary school, and was taken into protective custody on November 5, 2007. A petition was filed pursuant to section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code 1 on November 8, 2007, alleging that Mother had a long history of substance abuse which rendered her incapable of providing regular care for her three children. Neither Mother nor Father appeared at the *564 November 8 hearing, and arrest warrants were ordered for each parent. Additionally, the court ordered protective custody warrants to be issued and held for the two boys.…