In re Edgar M. CA2/6

BACKGROUND

In October 2010, 9-year-old Edgar lived in Santa Maria with mother and his sisters, 7-year-old Ana, and 6-year-old Norma. Vidal M. (presumed father) did not live with the family. On October 19, 2010, school personnel called mother because Norma could not talk or move her right arm. When mother picked her up, Norma was limping and making only one-word statements. Several hours later, mother took her to a hospital in Santa Maria. The doctors concluded she had had a stroke. Further testing revealed that Norma had several recent and older brain infarctions and a "non-accidental trauma vertebral artery dissection" in her neck. The doctors concluded she was a child abuse victim and contacted Santa Barbara County Child Welfare Services (CWS). CWS received inconsistent information from mother and the children regarding Norma's injuries. On November 1, 2010, CWS took the children into protective custody. On November 3, 2010, CWS filed dependency petitions on behalf of Edgar, Ana, and Norma, alleging failure to protect and support, with sibling abuse allegations as to Ana and Edgar. (§ 300, subds. (a), (b), (g) & (j).)3 On November 4, the juvenile court conducted detention…