In re S.R. CA2/4

INTRODUCTION

Sophie R. (born Oct. 2014) was declared a dependent of the juvenile court in November 2018, when the court sustained a petition in which respondent Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) alleged that mother endangered Sophie by leaving her unattended in a car, and that mother had a history of mental and emotional problems. In October 2018, DCFS removed Sophie from mother’s home and placed her in the home of her paternal great aunt and uncle. The court ordered family reunification services for parents but terminated them two years later and set a permanency planning hearing. At that hearing (in May 2021), it was undisputed that the paternal aunt and uncle would likely adopt Sophie. (See In re Caden C. (2021) 11 Cal.5th 614, 630 (Caden C.).) Father, however, asserted the “beneficial parental relationship exception” to termination of parental rights. (Ibid.) The juvenile court rejected the exception and terminated father’s parental rights, along with those of mother. On appeal, father contends the juvenile court erred when it did not apply the beneficial parent relationship exception. Mother raises no independent contention of error,…