In re Dominick D.

BACKGROUND

On August 22, 2021, CFS responded to a referral alleging that Mother had left her

five-month-old son, Dominick, without appropriate arrangements. Mother reportedly

1 “[B]ecause ICWA uses the term ‘Indian,’ we do the same for consistency, even though we recognize that other terms, such as ‘Native American’ or ‘indigenous,’ are preferred by many.” (In re Benjamin M. (2021) 70 Cal.App.5th 735, 739, fn. 1.)

2 showed up unannounced at the home of N.M., a woman she had met through a Facebook

group, and handed Dominick to her to watch while Mother went to Nevada. N.M. told

Mother that she could not watch the child and did not even know the child’s or Mother’s

name. Mother provided her name and phone number and the baby’s name, and she then

left. N.M. ran after Mother, who drove off with an unknown male. N.M. observed that

there was no child car seat in Mother’s vehicle, and Dominick had been left with no

diaper bag, formula, or bottles. N.M. called the county sheriff to report the incident and

request that someone pick up the child.

The CFS social worker spoke with W.M., who was initially identified by law

enforcement as Dominick’s maternal grandfather but is…