In re L.C. CA4/2

I.

INTRODUCTION

In this dependency case, defendant and appellant B.C. (mother) appeals from an

order terminating her parental rights over her child, L.C. She argues that the juvenile

court should have instead applied the beneficial parent-child relationship exception and

selected legal guardianship as the child’s permanent plan. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 366.26,

subd. (c)(1)(B)(i).)1 Mother further maintains that alleged father, T.R., was denied due

process when he was not noticed of the dependency proceedings and the court failed to

afford him the protections of the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. § 3901 et

seq.) (SCRA). Finding no error, we affirm.

II.

BACKGROUND

When L.C. was 13 months old in December 2019, mother contacted law

enforcement to report that her “pimp,” “KB,” took her son and would not let her see him

until she made money by prostituting herself. Police found L.C. at KB’s mother’s home

in Victorville. He had eczema on his legs, arms, neck, and back that was in various

stages of healing. Mother was not able to provide an address or plan for living

arrangements. Mother said that the child’s father was T.R. and she was in the process of

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