In re Valerie R. CA2/2

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

I. Facts

Valerie was born in 2012 to Jasmine G. (mother) and father. In 2013, father dragged mother outside of the family house, inflicted red marks on her face, and threatened to kill mother and take Valerie away from her; Valerie, then a toddler, was present for the incident. The juvenile court exerted dependency jurisdiction over Valerie and, in 2015, terminated jurisdiction

All further statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code unless otherwise indicated.

2 with an order placing Valerie in mother’s sole physical and legal custody. In 2016, the juvenile court again exerted dependency jurisdiction over Valerie due to mother’s inability to provide care for Valerie when the father of Valerie’s half siblings was using drugs in Valerie’s presence. In February 2019, the juvenile court terminated jurisdiction with an order placing Valerie in father’s sole physical and legal custody. On August 26, 2019, father became upset with Valerie because she was eating too slowly and struck her with an open hand twice on the mouth and once on her arm. The blows cut her upper lip and bruised her arm. Father admitted that he would…