In re S.P. CA3

BACKGROUND

In November 2018, the Agency filed a petition on behalf of C.P., Jr., (born December 2007), Jo.P. (born December 2009), S.P. (born June 2013), Ja.P. (born July 2014), and N.P. (born May 2017), alleging that the minors came within the provision of § 300, subdivision (b), failure to protect, and § 300, subdivision (j), abuse of sibling. On October 29, 2018, the Agency investigated a referral regarding alleged physical abuse of S.P. The investigating social worker spoke to then five-year-old S.P. about a visible bruise over her eye, and S.P. reported that mother hit her. The social worker also spoke to one of S.P.’s older brothers, Jo.P., who reported that he, his mother, and some of his siblings were hit by his father, Ch.P. (father). However, he claimed that S.P.’s eye injury was due to an insect bite. The social worker also spoke with mother and father. Father became agitated during the interview, vocally denying that his children were abused; mother denied hitting S.P. and stated that S.P.’s swollen eye was due to an insect bite. Father’s behavior continued to escalate to the point of yelling and pounding on a door, behaviors mother described as ‘‘normal.” Mother…