In re D.Y. CA2/5

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 12, 2014
DocketB253519
StatusUnpublished

This text of In re D.Y. CA2/5 (In re D.Y. CA2/5) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re D.Y. CA2/5, (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

Filed 8/12/14 In re D.Y. CA2/5 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION FIVE

In re D.Y. et al., Persons Coming Under the B253519 Juvenile Court Law. (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. CK99034)

LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

R.Y.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from orders of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Timothy R. Saito, Judge. Affirmed. Jamie A. Moran, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. John F. Krattli, County Counsel, Dawyn R. Harrison, Acting Assistant County Counsel and Stephen D. Watson, Deputy County Counsel for Plaintiff and Respondent. I. INTRODUCTION

The mother, R.Y., appeals from the juvenile court’s October 23, 2013 jurisdictional and dispositional findings and orders. She argues there is insufficient evidence to support the jurisdictional orders under Welfare and Institutions Code1 section 300, subdivisions (b) and (j). In addition, the mother challenges the removal of her two children from her custody. We affirm the findings and orders.

II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On April 17, 2013, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (the department) filed a section 300 petition on behalf of three-year old D.Y. and seven-month old A.Y. The petition alleged the mother has a history of illicit drug use and is a current marijuana abuser which renders her incapable of caring for the children. The petition also alleged the mother has a criminal history of convictions for possession of marijuana for sale. At the April 17, 2013 detention hearing, the children were detained in shelter care. The department was ordered to use its best efforts to place the children together. The mother was granted monitored visits after she contacted the department. Later, the adjudication hearing was continued to October 23, 2013 in part because of the mother’s incarceration. On October 23, 2013, the mother made her first appearance in the case at the adjudication hearing. The juvenile court sustained the petition under section 300, subdivisions (b) and (j). The juvenile court found counts b-1 and j-1 to be true: “The [mother] has a history of illicit drug use and is a current abuser of marijuana, which renders the mother incapable of providing regular care of the children. On prior occasions in April of 2013, the mother was under the influence of marijuana in the child,

1 Further statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code.

2 [A.Y.’s] presence. The mother’s illicit drug use endangers the children’s physical health and safety, placing the children at risk of physical harm, damage and danger.” The children were ordered removed from the mother’s custody.

III. EVIDENCE

A. Detention Report

The April 17, 2013 detention report stated on April 10, 2013, the department received a referral alleging seven-month-old A.Y. was a victim of general neglect. On April 6, 2013, the mother and her boyfriend, Ivan B., brought A.Y. to Millers Hospital because the child had pneumonia. On April 8, 2013, a day-shift nurse asked the parents if they had fed A.Y. They looked at each other and replied they had not fed A.Y. The caller was concerned because the parents had been given A.Y.’s feeding schedule so they could feed her. The caller reported the parents left the hospital several times and would return smelling of marijuana. In addition, the parents had to be told three times to keep A.Y.’s crib side rail up to prevent the child from falling onto the floor. On April 9, 2013 at 3:30 a.m., the parents argued so loudly that hospital security staff was called. The hospital security staff told the parents they would have to leave the hospital if they continued to argue. The hospital nursing staff observed the parents did not wake up until 2:00 p.m. on April 9, 2013. On April 10, 2013, the caller reported the child’s side rail was down again while the parents were out of the room. But the grandfather, who was sitting next to the crib, did lift the side rail up for A.Y.’s protection. A.Y. was scheduled to be discharged on April 10, 2013. However, A.Y. had not yet been discharged because of concerns for her safety. Later on April 10, 2013, children’s social worker Resheda Patterson arrived at the hospital and interviewed the night-shift nurse. The nurse reviewed the nurses’ notes and confirmed the foregoing. Also, the parents did not attend to the child, leaving this responsibility to the nurses.

3 Ms. Patterson interviewed the mother. The mother stated the only time the side rail was down was when A.Y. was being held. Or, the side rail would be down while the mother was sitting next to the bed playing with A.Y. A.Y. did not have a current pediatrician because it had taken a month for A.Y.’s medical records to be transferred from Riverside to Long Beach. A.Y. was behind in her immunizations and had not had her four-month or six-month shots. The mother denied not checking on A.Y. And the mother denied she and Ivan slept until 2 p.m. She said: “We had the door closed. They wouldn’t know.” The mother admitted she and Ivan left the hospital room to smoke marijuana. She stated, “[W]hat else was I suppose to do[,] I’ve been here (the hospital) for a week.” The mother reported she was “stressed out” and had no other way to relieve her anxiety. She denied having a substance abuse problem. But the mother admitted she smoked marijuana daily saying this was the only way she was able to relieve stress. According to Ms. Patterson, the social worker: “Mother denied she has a substance abuse problem and stated smoking marijuana does not affect her ability to take care of her daughter and stated, ‘I’m a good mother.’” The mother agreed to submit to an on demand drug test but declined to participate in an upfront assessment. The mother, Ivan and A.Y. lived with a family friend, identified only as Ms. Hazel. They shared a room with Ms. Hazel’s adult son and his family. The mother could not identify A.Y.’s father. But the mother stated he was not involved in A.Y.’s life. The mother had lived with the maternal grandmother, Margaret Y. But the mother left because she did not get along with her 24-year-old brother, Steven Y. The maternal grandmother was caring for the mother’s three-year-old daughter, D.Y. The mother asked the maternal grandmother to care for D.Y. The mother refused to provide information about D.Y.’s father but stated he resides in Texas. Ms. Patterson also interviewed the mother’s boyfriend, Ivan. He denied he was A.Y.’s father but confirmed he has been in the child’s life since she was two months old. Ivan stated he fed and played with A.Y., put her to bed, and changed her diapers. Ivan said he was at fault for leaving A.Y.’s crib bed rail down at least two times while the

4 child was in the hospital. Ivan admitted he and the mother left the hospital to smoke marijuana. But Ivan denied they came back to the hospital under the influence of a drug because he thought they were gone long enough to get the smell out of their clothing. Ivan denied he and the mother smoked marijuana often or had a substance abuse problem. Ivan stated he and the mother lived with Ms. Hazel. They slept on the floor and A.Y. slept in her car seat because they did not have a bed. Ms. Patterson called Ms. Hazel to confirm the family lived with her. Ms.

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Bluebook (online)
In re D.Y. CA2/5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-dy-ca25-calctapp-2014.