In re Omari H. CA2/7

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 5, 2024
DocketB323254
StatusUnpublished

This text of In re Omari H. CA2/7 (In re Omari H. 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 Omari H. CA2/7, (Cal. Ct. App. 2024).

Opinion

Filed 2/5/24 In re Omari H. CA2/7 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 OMARI H., et al., Persons B323254 Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law. (Los Angeles County ________________________________ Super. Ct. No. 22CCJP02056) LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

KASEEM H.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from orders of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Kristen Byrdsong, Juvenile Court Referee. Dismissed in part and conditionally affirmed with directions in part. Laura D. Pedicini, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Dawyn R. Harrison, County Counsel, Kim Nemoy, Assistant County Counsel, and Jacklyn K. Louie, Principal Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

_____________________________

INTRODUCTION

Kaseem H. appeals from the juvenile court’s jurisdiction findings and disposition orders declaring his children, four-year-old Omari H. and two-year-old twins Kamiayah H. and Kaseem H. Jr., dependent children of the court under Welfare and Institutions Code section 300, subdivisions (a), (b), and (j).1 Kaseem argues that substantial evidence did not support the court’s finding Kaseem’s marijuana use put the children at substantial risk of serious physical harm; that the court abused its discretion by ordering him to undergo drug testing and, if he tested positive or missed a test, to participate in a substance abuse treatment program; and that substantial evidence did not support the court’s removal order. We conclude that, because the children’s mother, Arkell P., did not appeal from jurisdiction findings based on her substance abuse, and because Kaseem did not appeal from jurisdiction findings based on his mental health issues and the domestic violence between him and Arkell, his appeal from the jurisdiction findings based on his substance abuse is not justiciable. Therefore, we dismiss his appeal from the jurisdiction findings. We also conclude that the court did not abuse its discretion in

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

2 ordering Kaseem to undergo drug testing and, if necessary, treatment and that, although the court applied the wrong standard of proof in making its findings supporting removal, the error was harmless. Finally, Kaseem contends the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and the juvenile court failed to comply with the inquiry provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) (25 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq.) and related California law. The Department concedes, and we agree, Kaseem is correct. Therefore, we conditionally affirm the juvenile court’s orders and direct the court to ensure the Department complies with the inquiry and, if necessary, notice provisions of ICWA and related California law.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. The Department Investigates a Referral Concerning the Children In April 2022 the Department received a report stating that Kaseem hit Arkell in the face and that Omari, Kamiayah, and Kaseem Jr. witnessed the incident. The Department had received a similar report one month earlier, in March 2022, when Kaseem hit Arkell in the face after an argument about the behavior of Kaseem’s 10-year-old son, A’mir.2 After the March 2022 incident, Arkell left the home with Omari, Kamiayah, and Kaseem Jr., and Kaseem followed them. Kaseem was arrested.

2 The Department had recently placed A’mir with Kaseem. After the March 2022 incident, the Department removed A’mir from Kaseem.

3 A Department social worker interviewed Arkell and Kaseem about the April 2022 incident. Arkell said that she and Kaseem argued about Kaseem’s refusal to help her care for the children, that she hit Kaseem first, and that Kaseem hit her in the face twice and slammed her face into the floor. Arkell said the children were in the bedroom at the time. Arkell said that she and Kaseem were under a lot of stress and that they frequently argued about A’mir, who had severe behavioral and mental health issues. Arkell said she had been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, but was not taking any medication or receiving any mental health services. She said she smoked marijuana in the car every night while the children slept. Kaseem told the social worker that he and Arkell had argued, but that, because of his mental illness, he did not remember hitting Arkell. Kaseem stated that he was bipolar schizophrenic and that he was not taking medication or receiving mental health services. Kaseem said that he had been hospitalized in a psychiatric facility when he was younger, that he had been prescribed medication, and that he did not like the side effects. Kaseem also said he smoked marijuana in his car daily to help with his mental health.

B. The Department Files a Petition Under Section 300, and the Juvenile Court Detains the Children On May 26, 2022 the Department filed a petition on behalf of Omari, Kamiayah, and Kaseem Jr. alleging counts under section 300, subdivisions (a), (b), and (j). The Department alleged Kaseem and Arkell had “a history of engaging in violent altercations in the presence of the children,” which placed the children “at risk of serious physical harm.” The Department also

4 alleged Kaseem and Arkell had “a history of substance abuse,” were “current abuser[s] of marijuana,” and had mental and emotional problems, which rendered them “incapable of providing regular care for the children.” Finally, the Department alleged the children’s half brother, Tyler, received permanent placement services because of Arkell’s mental health problems, which placed “the children at risk of serious physical harm.”3 At the detention hearing the juvenile court found the Department had made a prima facie showing Omari, Kamiayah, and Kaseem Jr. were persons described by section 300 and ordered their continued detention from Kaseem and Arkell. The court ordered monitored visitation for Kaseem and Arkell and required them to visit separately.

C. The Juvenile Court Sustains the Petition and Removes the Children At a jurisdiction hearing in July 2022 the juvenile court found Omari, Kamiayah, and Kaseem Jr. were persons described by section 300, subdivisions (a), (b), and (j). The court sustained, as amended, counts b-1 (failure to protect due to domestic violence), b-2 (marijuana use by Arkell), b-3 (marijuana use by Kaseem), b-5 (Kaseem’s mental and emotional problems), and j-1 (neglect of half sibling Tyler due to Arkell’s mental and emotional problems). The court struck counts a-1 (nonaccidental serious physical harm due to domestic violence) and b-4 (Arkell’s mental and emotional problems). The court ordered visitation for Kaseem and Arkell.

3 Arkell’s son Tyler was in a legal guardianship with Arkell’s aunt and living with Arkell’s mother.

5 At a disposition hearing in August 2022 the juvenile court declared Omari, Kamiayah, and Kaseem Jr. dependent children of the court and removed them from Kaseem and Arkell. The court ordered Kaseem to participate in domestic violence counseling, individual counseling, and parenting classes. The court also ordered Kaseem to undergo random and on-demand drug testing, and, if he tested positive or missed a test, to participate in a full drug treatment program.

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In re Omari H. CA2/7, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-omari-h-ca27-calctapp-2024.