In re W.R. CA2/4

INTRODUCTION

Mother (G.R.) appeals from the juvenile court’s orders denying her Welfare and Institutions Code section 3881 request and placing her children in a legal guardianship under section 366.26. On appeal, mother contends that the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) failed to comply with the inquiry requirements under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) (25 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq.) and related California statutes (§ 224 et seq.). We affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND2

Mother and W.R., Sr. (father) have three children: W.R. (born Dec. 2008), V.R. (born July 2011), and L.R. (born Apr. 2013). The family was living with maternal aunt and grandmother when dependency proceedings were initiated by DCFS. On July 20, 2018, DCFS filed a dependency petition on behalf of the children, and on September 17, 2018, the petition was sustained as amended by interlineation. Appended to the dependency petition was the Indian child inquiry attachment (ICWA-010 form), which reflected that when questioned by DCFS on July 5, 2018, mother indicated that the children had no known Indian ancestry. In the detention report, DCFS noted that both mother and father…