Leroy C. v. Sarah T. CA2/2

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

I. The Family

Sarah T. (mother) and Leroy C. (father) have one child, Shyla. Shyla was born in California, in July 2008.

II. Mother Initially Has Sole Physical Custody of Shyla,

and Repeatedly Accuses Father of Abusing Shyla Around the time Shyla was born, father filed a petition to establish his parentage. For the next four years, father lived in Virginia while mother and Shyla remained in California. Father moved to California in 2012.

2 Soon after father moved to California, mother sought a restraining order to protect herself and Shyla on the ground that Shyla told her that father had sexually molested her. Mother said she sought the order “[a]t the instruction” of law enforcement. Father vehemently denied the allegations. Hedging its bets, the family court denied a restraining order protecting Shyla, but awarded mother sole legal and physical custody of Shyla, limited father’s visits to monitored visits, and issued a one-year order protecting mother. In November and December 2015, mother filed petitions alleging that father was again sexually molesting Shyla and asking to restrict his visitation rights as a result. Although the family…