In re M.B. CA2/7

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 13, 2022
DocketB312789
StatusUnpublished

This text of In re M.B. CA2/7 (In re M.B. CA2/7) 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 M.B. CA2/7, (Cal. Ct. App. 2022).

Opinion

Filed 6/13/22 In re M.B. CA2/7 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 SEVEN

In re M.B., a Person Coming B312789 Under the Juvenile Court Law. (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. 18CCJP03577A) LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

LIAH B.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from orders of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Debra R. Archuleta, Judge. Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded with directions. Elizabeth C. Alexander, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Dawyn R. Harrison, Acting County Counsel, Kim Nemoy, Assistant County Counsel, and Jane E. Kwon, Principal Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent. ___________________________ Liah B., the mother of six-year-old M.B., appeals the August 31, 2021 order terminating her parental rights, contending the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services failed to adequately investigate her claim of Indian ancestry through interviews with maternal relatives and the notices sent to the Blackfeet Tribe failed to include the birthdates of M.B.’s maternal grandfather and great-grandfather as required by federal regulations implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA) (25 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq.) and related California law.1 Without challenging Liah’s claims of error, the Department argues that Liah’s appeal of the adequacy of its investigation has been mooted by further interviews with maternal relatives and that any omission of required information from the ICWA-030 notices sent to the Blackfeet Tribe was harmless because its post-

1 Liah separately appealed a May 13, 2021 order summarily denying her petition pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 388 to reinstate family reunification services or return M.B. to her care. We granted Liah’s motion to consolidate the two appeals. Liah’s briefs in this court, however, present no arguments directed to the section 388 order, and we deem that aspect of her appeal abandoned. (See Jones v. Superior Court (1994) 26 Cal.App.4th 92, 99; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.204(a)(1)(B).)

2 appeal investigation established ICWA notices were not required. In support of its mootness/harmless error arguments the Department has moved for “judicial notice of post-judgment evidence”—a last minute information report filed in the juvenile court on April 4, 2022. As did our colleagues in Division Three of the Fourth Appellate District in In re K.M. (2015) 242 Cal.App.4th 450 (K.M.), which involved a similar effort by the child protective services agency to remedy its deficient ICWA investigation while an order terminating parental rights was on appeal, we reject the argument that evidence of postjudgment ICWA inquiries moots the issue, conditionally reverse the order terminating Liah’s parental rights and remand the matter for full compliance with the inquiry and notice provisions of ICWA and related California law. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND 1. The Dependency Proceedings The events leading to the Department’s filing of a dependency petition, M.B.’s removal from Liah after the juvenile court sustained a single count pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, subdivision (b)(1),2 concerning Liah’s substance abuse, and the dependency proceedings through the juvenile court’s November 7, 2019 order summarily denying Liah’s petition for modification of its March 6, 2019 order terminating reunification services are detailed in our opinion affirming the November 7, 2019 order. (In re M.B. (Mar. 15, 2021, B302837) [nonpub. opn.].)

2 Statutory references are to this code unless otherwise stated.

3 The section 366.26 selection and implementation hearing, originally scheduled for July 3, 2019, was ultimately held on August 31, 2021. At the hearing the juvenile court found by clear and convincing evidence M.B. was adoptable and found no exception to termination of parental rights applied, specifically rejecting Liah’s argument based on the parent-child-relationship exception. (§ 366.26, subd. (c)(1)(B)(i).)3 The court terminated Liah’s parental rights and transferred care, custody and control of M.B. to the Department for adoptive planning and placement. Shenika B., a maternal great-aunt living in New Jersey, was identified by the Department as M.B.’s prospective adoptive parent.4 2. The ICWA Investigation and Notice In the Indian Child Inquiry Attachment (ICWA-010(A)) filed June 5, 2018 with the original dependency petition, the Department’s social worker checked the box stating, “The child may have Indian ancestry,” and explained, “Mother stated child has Indian ancestry.” The detention report filed on the same date similarly stated, “The Indian Child Welfare Act does or may apply,” and elaborated, “On 6/1/2018, mother, Liah B[.] stated that American Indian heritage does apply as to the paternal side

3 The court found Liah had not maintained regular visitation and had not established a bond with M.B. 4 In its section 366.26 report the Department explained New Jersey, where the maternal great-aunt lives, requires an order terminating parental rights before it will complete an adoption home study pursuant to a referral under the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children. The court ordered M.B. placed with Shenika B. on December 17, 2021.

4 of father, Terrell W[.],” identified by Liah as M.B.’s biological father.5 On June 6, 2018, in connection with the detention hearing, in her Parental Notification of Indian Status (ICWA-020) Liah checked the box indicating she may have Indian ancestry, writing “Blackfoot (MGGF Lonnie B[.]).” Asked by the court at the hearing about M.B.’s Indian ancestry, Liah responded, “[Terrell] did tell me he was Indian. I’m not exactly sure what tribe, but I know on my dad’s side, my grandfather is definitely Indian.” Liah explained she was estranged from her father’s side of the family and did not have contact information for Lonnie B., Sr., M.B.’s great-grandfather, and, while she knew he was born in Camden, New Jersey, she did not know his date of birth. She told the court she would try to obtain that information. The court found there was no reason to know ICWA applied to Terrell but ordered the Department to investigate Liah’s Indian ancestry and provide a supplemental report regarding the investigation to the court that included “the details of who was interviewed, dates and places of birth of the relatives as far back as can be ascertained.” In addition, the court ordered the Department to provide notice to the appropriate tribes and to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In its jurisdiction/disposition report filed July 5, 2018, the Department summarized its social worker’s interview with Liah

5 The whereabouts of Terrell, subsequently designated as M.B.’s alleged father by the court, remained unknown throughout the proceedings. Liah said Terrell never had any contact with M.B. On April 12, 2019 the court found the Department’s due diligence search had been completed and authorized notice of the section 366.26 hearing be provided to Terrell by publication.

5 concerning her possible Indian ancestry. Liah provided the names and dates and places of birth, if known, of various maternal relatives.

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Bluebook (online)
In re M.B. CA2/7, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-mb-ca27-calctapp-2022.