In re Lilianna G. CA4/2

BACKGROUND

The family came to the attention of San Bernardino County Children and Family

Services (CFS) in April 2020, when Lilianna was four months old and her half-sister

A.G. was seven years old. (A.G. is not a subject of this appeal.) Mother and both

children lived with mother’s parents. Lilianna had lived with her maternal grandparents

since birth.

CFS received a referral based on an incident of domestic violence between father

and mother. Mother and both children were visiting father at a motel when parents got

into some sort of quarrel and altercation. Mother called 911. Father, whose breath

smelled of alcohol, told a law enforcement officer that mother threw a can of powdered

baby formula at him, hitting him in the face. Father had no visible injuries. Mother was

arrested for spousal battery.

Later that day, father spoke with a social worker and recanted. He said that he had

falsely reported what happened and that he and mother did not have an argument. He

2 called law enforcement because he believed mother was going to take Lilianna away.

Father denied that he and mother were in a domestic violence relationship.

CFS temporarily detained Lilianna and A.G.…