In re B.G. CA4/2

California Court of Appeal·Decided May 21, 2025·No. E084573·Unpublished

Opinion

Filed 5/21/25 In re B.G. CA4/2

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

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

In re B.G., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, E084573

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super.Ct.No. J301156)

v. OPINION R.R., Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. Cara D. Hutson and Steven A. Mapes, Judges. Affirmed in part; dismissed in part.

Jesse McGowan, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

Tom Bunton, County Counsel, Helena Rho, Deputy County Counsel for Plaintiff and Respondent.

Defendant and Appellant R.R. (MGM) appeals from jurisdiction/disposition orders wherein the juvenile court refused to place B.G.1 (Minor), her granddaughter, in her custody after considering the relative placement preference pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 361.3.2 Minor was detained from Br.G. (Mother) when she and Minor tested positive for drugs at the time of Minor’s birth. MGM requested placement of Minor, but plaintiff and respondent San Bernardino County Children and Family Services (CFS) recommended that the juvenile court deny placement due to CFS’s concerns that she had a domestic violence history; a prior history with child protective services; and did not acknowledge Mother’s drug use, instead blaming Mother’s drug use on Mother’s boyfriend. At the jurisdiction/disposition hearing, Mother was granted reunification services and Minor was placed in a foster home. The juvenile court denied placement with MGM after considering the factors in section 361.3.

On appeal, MGM states the trial court erred by denying her the opportunity to be heard at the jurisdiction/disposition hearing regarding placement of Minor with her and to present evidence. MGM also contends the juvenile court prejudicially erred by relieving Mother’s counsel at the jurisdiction/disposition hearing without cause or notice to Mother. She contends she has standing to raise the issue on Mother’s behalf.

1 Minor was given a name during the course of the proceedings; however, we use the initials B.G. (for “Baby Girl”) as those initials appear in the record and briefs.

2 All further statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code unless otherwise indicated.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY3 A. SECTION 300 PETITION AND DETENTION Minor was born in May 2024. Minor’s father was alleged to be J.N. (Father). It was reported that Mother had given birth to Minor in a driveway; she had received no prenatal care. Mother and Minor were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Mother tested positive for fentanyl and amphetamine. Minor tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl. Minor exhibited withdrawal symptoms including high-pitched crying, tremors, and irritability. Minor was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Mother reported the use of fentanyl one week prior to Minor’s birth and admitted to using methamphetamine during her pregnancy. Father reported being a “historical drug user” but denied current drug use. During the hospital stay, Mother and Father (Parents) left Minor unattended while they went into the restroom together.

Social workers went to the hospital; Mother had been discharged and Minor was still in the NICU. Minor was still experiencing withdrawal symptoms including high blood pressure, high temperature, high-pitched crying and tremors. Parents had not visited Minor in five days. On June 3, 2024, Minor was ready to be discharged from the hospital. MGM had been visiting with Minor at the hospital. Minor was placed in a

3 MGM filed her opening brief with a limited record as she is a relative and not a parent entitled to inspect the juvenile case file. (See § 827.) CFS requested that this court take judicial notice of the detention report, detention warrant, minute order from the detention hearing, the jurisdiction/disposition report and an addendum report. We have granted the request.

foster home. Mother had two other children. Their father, A.B., had sole physical and legal custody.

MGM informed a social worker with CFS that she had not seen Mother during her pregnancy except for one time two weeks prior to her giving birth to Minor. Mother did not live with MGM. MGM had been trying to get Mother placed into a drug treatment program. MGM was applying for conservatorship of Mother. Mother did not have custody of her other children due to her drug use. Mother reported she used fentanyl and methamphetamine during her pregnancy and saw a doctor only one time during the pregnancy. Mother wanted Minor to go to MGM or the paternal grandmother. Mother reported that she was homeless.

MGM provided transportation for Minor’s siblings to appointments and cared for them on occasion. A.B. had both siblings in his home and did not want them to be involved with Mother. Mother had no prior child welfare history or criminal record. Results were pending for emergency placement of Minor with MGM.

CFS filed a section 300 petition, which has not been made part of the record, but the allegations appear in the record (petition). It was alleged against Parents, pursuant to section 300, subdivision (b), that Mother had an untreated substance abuse problem, Mother and Minor tested positive for fentanyl and methamphetamine at birth, Mother should have known that Father had an untreated mental health problem that impacted Minor’s safety, Father should have known about Mother’s untreated substance abuse problem, and Father suffered from untreated substance abuse and mental health problems. Under section 300, subdivision (g), it was alleged that Parents had left Minor

without any provisions for her care. A detention hearing was held on June 6, 2024. Only A.B. is listed as being present at the hearing. Minor was detained and placed in a foster home.

B. JURISDICTION/DISPOSITION REPORT The jurisdiction/disposition report was filed on June 24, 2024. It was recommended that Minor be detained from Mother’s custody; Mother was to be granted six months of reunification services. Father would be given reunification services if he completed a paternity test. Mother was not present at the detention hearing and could not be notified of the jurisdiction/disposition hearing because her whereabouts were unknown. CFS was requesting a continuance of the jurisdiction/disposition hearing in order for Father to complete paternity testing. The prognosis of reunification for Parents was “poor.” It was necessary to remove Minor from their custody. CFS had not been able to speak with Father or Mother during the reporting period. Mother had texted CFS and a meeting was scheduled but she did not show up for the appointment.

CFS reported that MGM was interested in placement of Minor. It was stated by the social worker, “On June 3, 2024, the undersigned was informed . . . that placement assessment [with MGM] was not approved due to CFS history and admitting to historical domestic violence in the home.” The social worker reported meeting with MGM. The social worker reported the MGM appeared to minimize Mother’s substance use. MGM stated Mother was only using substances because of Father. CFS concluded that MGM’s home was not an appropriate placement for Minor and it was not in Minor’s best interests to be placed with MGM. Parents had no visits with Minor during the reporting period.

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