Y.M.

Y.M. is a special needs child who was born and raised in Guatemala. When she was 14 years old, her father (Father), who lived in California, arranged for her abduction and illegal entry into the United States. Father then sexually and physically abused Y.M., and made her available to other men for sex. Y.M. was declared a dependent of the juvenile court after she suffered a head injury during a violent altercation between Father and a family member, and social workers with the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (Agency) learned of her circumstances. Later, federal authorities determined that Y.M. was a victim of human sexual trafficking and was entitled to protection under federal law. (See Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, 22 U.S.C. § 7101 et seq. (TVPA); William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, 8 U.S.C. § 1232 et seq. (Wilberforce Act).)

*899 The federal authorities arrested Father on federal sexual trafficking charges and the Guatemalan authorities initiated an investigation to determine her mother’s role in YM.’s victimization.

At the Agency’s request, and initially with Y.M.’s concurrence, Y.M. was…