In re A.O.

California Court of Appeal·Decided November 12, 2015·No. E062111·Published

Opinion

Filed 10/14/15; part. pub. & mod. order 11/12/15 (see end of opn.)

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT DIVISION TWO

In re A.O., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES, E062111

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super.Ct.No. INJ1300355)

v. OPINION M.O., Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from the Superior Court of Riverside County. Lawrence P. Best, Temporary Judge. (Pursuant to Cal. Const., art. VI, § 21.) Affirmed in part; reversed in part with directions.

Linda B. Puertas, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

Gregory P. Priamos, County Counsel, James E. Brown, Guy B. Pittman, and Anna M. Marchand, Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

Defendant and appellant M.O. (mother) has unresolved mental health issues that led to the court finding jurisdiction over her 12-year-old daughter, A.O., under Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, subdivision (b)1 and removed her from mother’s care. At the six-month review hearing, the court found that returning A.O. to mother would be detrimental to A.O. and that the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) had provided adequate reunification services. At the twelve-month review hearing, the court terminated reunification services and ordered that A.O. be placed in a Planned Permanent Living Arrangement.

Mother appeals the orders from the six- and twelve-month review hearings, and, citing the court’s failure to advise her of her right to appeal after the disposition hearing, she also appeals the jurisdictional findings and dispositional order. We affirm jurisdiction and disposition but reverse the court’s findings at the six- and twelve-month review hearings that DPSS had provided reasonable reunification services.

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

I

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND This case involves A.O., a minor who was 12 years old at the time of detention but is now 14, and her mother, who suffers from bi-polar disorder and exhibits paranoid and aggressive tendencies. A.O.’s biological father has never been a part of her life.2 Mother raised A.O. by herself and has been A.O.’s sole provider and caregiver for her entire life. Mother has an adult daughter, M.H., from a 22-year marriage that ended in 1995. That same year, mother was hospitalized under section 5150,3 diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, and prescribed psychotropic medication. Mother stopped taking her medication after a few days because it was “not necessary.” A.O. was born six years later, in 2001.

It is undisputed that mother has never intentionally or physically harmed A.O., and that mother and daughter love each other very much and share a strong emotional bond. At every step of the proceedings below, mother and A.O. persisted in wanting to live together and in failing to see why they should be apart. Nevertheless, mother’s mental health issues impede her ability to safely parent A.O., and she has been unable to access psychotropic medication.

2 Despite the Department’s attempts to locate him, his whereabouts remained unknown throughout the proceeding.

3 Section 5150 allows for the involuntary hospitalization of a person who “as a result of a mental health disorder, is a danger to others, or to himself or herself.” (§ 5150, subd. (a).)

1. The Petition and Detention On August 4, 2013, DPSS received an anonymous referral from the Riverside County Child Abuse Hotline expressing concerns about mother. According to the referral, the police had responded to mother’s home because she was acting irrational and paranoid. Mother told the police that she believed there were child molesters in the neighborhood.

On August 7, 2013, a DPSS social worker arrived at mother’s house to interview her regarding this incident. The social worker found mother’s behavior to be paranoid, erratic, and strange. Mother made vague references to child molesters in her neighborhood, home invasions, and police investigations about inappropriate content that was planted in her computer and A.O.’s cell phone. At one point during the interview she said, “Shhh. I’m an actor . . . There is a sting operation.”

Mother reported that in 1995, after her divorce, she had been hospitalized and diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and that she had been prescribed Haldol but “almost died” when she took it. She stated that she does not take medication and that there had not been any mental health concerns since 1995. She admitted to using marijuana with a friend three months prior, but stated that A.O. had not been present. She agreed to a drug test and tested negative for controlled substances.

The social worker also interviewed A.O., who was dressed appropriately and did not have any visible marks or bruises. A.O. denied any sexual abuse and told the social

worker that mother did not use drugs or alcohol. She felt safe with mother and wanted to continue living with her.

When asked about mother’s recent behavior, A.O. said that mother had been “acting crazy this month,” and that she did not like it. According to A.O., mother had contacted the police because she believed there were child molesters in the neighborhood. Mother also believed that someone was planting inappropriate content on their computers and phones.

Mother attended a team decision meeting on August 21, 2013 and agreed to participate in a psychological evaluation by August 28. On September 12, mother left a voicemail for the social worker saying, “I’ve been watching the streets. I’m sure you [are] keeping a close eye, the family and the villagers. I can smell it.”

On September 25, 2013, DPSS received a second referral through the hotline alleging that A.O. had not been attending school since the academic year began on September 3. The social worker returned to mother’s house on October 1. When asked whether she had completed a psychological evaluation, mother said she had not because she did not have insurance. She also told the social worker that she had completed the evaluation and that it was “none of [her] business.” Throughout the interview, mother made comments about child molesters and about A.O. being cyber bullied. She admitted that she had been keeping A.O. out of school because she was “scared for [A.O.]’s safety” and felt it was unsafe for her to be in public. When asked if A.O. was on independent study, mother said yes and pointed to the author’s name on a text book. The

social worker asked who the independent study was through and mother again pointed to the author’s name. Mother called the social worker “disgusting” and ended the interview.

A.O.’s middle school had no knowledge of A.O. receiving independent studies.

The school had also sent a health aid to mother’s home because A.O. had not been attending school.

On October 2, 2013, mother called the social worker and told her that she and A.O. were being harassed when they walked down the street. She said that “people are breaking stuff around me to intimidate us . . . sirens, dropping things trying to make me fearful. I’m not hiding.” She also said that A.O. is being “cyber bullied” and called a “whore.”

The next day, DPSS arrived at mother’s home to take A.O. into protective custody and place her in a foster home. Mother became aggressive towards the social worker. She asked why A.O. was being “arrested,” and remarked that A.O. is “not even Mexican.” Mother yelled in the social worker’s face and the officers had to ask her to step away from the social worker several times. Mother swore at the social worker as she drove away with A.O. The officers had to assist mother in stepping away from the car.

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