In re M.S. CA1/5

BACKGROUND

Detention Appellant is the Minors’ mother’s nephew. Minors started living with Appellant in 2017 or 2018, following the illness and then death of their mother; Appellant became Minors’ legal guardian in December 2019. Minors’ father was deported and resides in India. According to a March 2021 detention report filed by the Alameda County Social Services Agency (Agency), the Agency received reports that Appellant shaved the heads and eyebrows of E.S. and J.S., forced E.S to box with him, and “whooped” Minors with a leather belt. E.S. had run away from home on three occasions due to the abuse. Appellant told the Agency that E.S. and J.S. had been caught stealing $400 worth of merchandise from a mall, and that E.S. had stolen his cousin’s car and gone joyriding. He said he told E.S. to shave his head and eyebrows because E.S. was “cutting lines in his eyebrows,” which Appellant thought was a sign “of possible gang affiliation.” Appellant said he disciplined Minors by making them do exercises, by disallowing television, or by “whooping with a belt.” However, he denied “stripping [E.S.] down and whooping him in the shower.” E.S. told a child welfare worker that he ran away…