In re L.G. CA4/2

FACTS

L.G. was born in January 2020 and placed in a neonatal intensive care unit

(NICU). Approximately one week after L.G. was born, the Department obtained and

executed a protective custody warrant for L.G., who remained in the NICU. On January

23, 2020, the juvenile court ordered L.G. detained.

Parents resided with L.G.’s paternal grandparents and uncle. The Department

called L.G.’s paternal grandparents, but they did not answer so a voicemail was left.

1 All subsequent statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code.

2 The Department spoke with L.G.’s paternal aunt and she agreed to notify L.G.’s

paternal grandparents about the case.

Parents denied any knowledge of having Native American ancestry. L.G.’s

maternal grandmother claimed Native American ancestry through the Yaqui Tribe. In

February 2020, the Department notified the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Pascua

Yaqui Tribe, in Arizona, of the proceedings regarding L.G. The notice included

identifying information regarding L.G.’s maternal relatives, but very little identifying

information regarding L.G.’s paternal relatives. The Pascua Yaqui Tribe concluded

that, based on the information…