In re E.P. CA2/2

BACKGROUND

1. The Family Son is mother and father’s only child together.1 Mother was 19 years old when son was born and she herself had been a dependent of the court as a minor. When the underlying proceedings began, she and father were married but separated and not living together. Father recently had been released from the Marine Corps and was staying with his mother (paternal grandmother). Mother was raised primarily by her maternal great grandmother Teresa M. and her husband. Mother’s mother (maternal grandmother) and father (maternal grandfather) were in and out of prison. Mother’s relationship with maternal grandmother was not positive. Mother was not in contact with maternal grandfather. At the start of the proceedings below, mother and son were living with maternal great grandmother

1 Mother gave birth to her second child during the pendency of the underlying proceedings. That child and his father are not involved in this appeal.

3 Ruth G.2 Mother has several siblings, some of whom are step siblings, as well as cousins who visited mother “on weekends and barbecue[d].” 2. Brief Case Summary Beside their ICWA arguments, mother and father do not challenge the…