In re J.C. CA4/3

FACTS

J.C. and M.C. are mother’s children. M.C.’s biological father is deceased, and G.W. is the presumed father of J.C. Mother and G.W. have a long history together involving, among other things, drug and alcohol use, domestic violence and a Riverside County dependency case regarding the children. Prior to the Orange County Social Service Agency’s (SSA) involvement in their lives, the children lived with mother and G.W., the latter of whom lived in the garage of mother’s home.

Protective custody warrant and original juvenile dependency petition

In November 2019, SSA filed an application for a protective custody warrant to remove the children from mother’s care based upon a history of domestic violence between mother and G.W., including a then recent altercation during which G.W. shoved a mirror into mother’s face in front of the children. The application was granted, and the children were placed with their maternal grandmother. As a result of the same incident, G.W. was arrested and mother obtained a restraining order against him which protected both her and the children through October 2022.

2 Thereafter, SSA filed a juvenile dependency petition alleging a failure to protect…