In re Nathan P. CA4/3

FACTS

Nathan P. was born in February 2012. He was admitted to Orangewood Children and Family Center First Step directly following his release from the hospital after his birth. His mother, Sarah S., used both crack cocaine and marijuana during the first trimester of her pregnancy with Nathan. After his mother and Jeff P., the father, were arrested for child cruelty, Nathan’s three half siblings were brought into protective custody in August 2010 and declared dependants of the Orange County Juvenile Court a few months later. In May 2012, Nathan was also declared a dependant of the juvenile court. Nathan’s mother registered as a controlled substance offender in 2011. She was arrested in 2006 and five times in 2011 for various drug offenses. Also in 2011, and prior to the child cruelty arrest, she was arrested for burglary and theft charges.

2 Nathan’s father has a history of drug abuse since at least 1984. A list of his criminal history consumes more than 11 pages of the clerk’s transcript. In its May 2, 2012 report, Orange County Social Services Agency (SSA) stated: “Due to the mother’s participation in treatment and the mother giving birth to a child free of substances, the…