In re Aiden R. CA2/1 ( 2021 )


Menu:
  • Filed 4/2/21 In re Aiden R. CA2/1
    NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS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    has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 ONE
    In re Aiden R., a Person                                     B307316
    Coming Under the Juvenile                                    (Los Angeles County
    Court Law.                                                    Super. Ct. No. 18CCJP07532)
    LOS ANGELES COUNTY
    DEPARTMENT OF
    CHILDREN AND FAMILY
    SERVICES,
    Plaintiff and Respondent,
    v.
    N.R.,
    Defendant and Appellant.
    APPEAL from orders of the Superior Court of Los Angeles
    County, Debra R. Archuleta, Judge. Affirmed in part and
    reversed in part.
    Konrad S. Lee, under appointment by the Court of Appeal,
    for Defendant and Appellant.
    Rodrigo A. Castro-Silva, County Counsel, Kim Nemoy,
    Assistant County Counsel, Aileen Wong, Deputy County Counsel,
    for Plaintiff and Respondent.
    _______________________________
    1
    In this dependency case (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 300 et seq.),
    N.R. (Father) challenges the sufficiency of the evidence
    supporting a jurisdictional finding that his missed drug tests
    placed his child at risk of serious physical harm. He also
    challenges related components of his case plan. For the reasons
    explained below, we reverse the jurisdictional finding and the
    portion of the disposition orders requiring Father to participate
    in a drug and alcohol program. In all other respects, we affirm
    the disposition orders.
    BACKGROUND
    2
    Father and E.S. (Mother) were in a relationship and they
    had a son, Aiden, in 2017. Mother also has two minor sons, A.S.
    and M.H., from a prior relationship. Beginning in or around 2015
    and continuing throughout these proceedings, Father was
    employed full time as a welder.
    I.     Prior Dependency Proceedings
    In November 2018, when Aiden was one year old, M.H. was
    seven years old, and A.S. was 11 years old, the Los Angeles
    County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
    filed a dependency petition under section 300, subdivisions (a)
    1
    Undesignated statutory references are to the Welfare and
    Institutions Code.
    2
    Mother is not a party to this appeal.
    2
    and (b), alleging Father and Mother’s history of engaging in
    violent verbal and physical altercations in the children’s presence
    3
    placed the children at risk of harm. In January 2019, the
    juvenile court issued a three-year restraining order protecting
    Mother from Father, that is set to expire in January 2022. In
    February 2019, the court sustained the domestic violence
    allegations against Father and Mother (and A.S. and M.S.’s
    father). In December 2019, the court modified the restraining
    order to allow Father and Mother to have peaceful contact to
    discuss issues related to Aiden, and the court terminated
    dependency jurisdiction with a family law order awarding Mother
    sole physical custody and Father and Mother joint legal custody
    4
    of Aiden.
    II.    Current Dependency Proceedings
    A.   Referrals and detention
    On January 25, 2020, DCFS received a referral after
    Mother brought two-year-old Aiden to an urgent care center for
    treatment of a cough and congestion, and the staff believed
    Mother was under the influence of an illicit drug based on her
    conduct (slurred and rapid speech, stumbling when she walked,
    slumped over when she sat, etc.). Father, who did not live with
    Mother, came to the urgent care center, although the staff did not
    call him. He did not appear under the influence and his conduct
    3
    The petition also alleged under section 300, subdivisions
    (a) and (b) that Mother’s history of engaging in violent
    altercations with A.S. and M.A.’s father placed the children at
    risk of harm.
    4
    The juvenile court also issued a family law order
    awarding Mother sole physical and legal custody of A.S. and M.A.
    3
    was appropriate. The staff released Aiden and eight-year-old
    M.H. (who accompanied Mother and Aiden to the urgent care
    center) to Father. DCFS closed the referral against Mother as
    inconclusive.
    On March 18, 2020, DCFS received a referral regarding
    domestic violence between the children’s maternal aunt and her
    boyfriend. The maternal aunt lived with Mother and the
    children. When a social worker responded to the home the same
    day to investigate, it appeared to the social worker that Mother
    was under the influence of drugs (she “was moving around, she
    was not making sense, she looked under the influence, she did
    not make eye contact and she was holding on to the wall”).
    On March 26, 2020, another social worker responded to the
    home and interviewed Mother, who denied current illicit drug use
    but admitted to using methamphetamine and cocaine 10 years
    before. Mother also stated she took medication for anxiety and
    depression. Mother told the social worker that Aiden had
    visitation with Father, but Mother was currently uncomfortable
    with Aiden attending the visits because of COVID-19. During a
    follow-up interview with Mother on March 31, 2020, Mother told
    the social worker that Father “was giving her a hard time”
    because she would not allow Aiden to visit him because of
    COVID-19.
    The social worker spoke with Mother’s therapist on March
    31, 2020. The therapist “expressed concern that [Mother] is
    overmedicating,” but the therapist did not have “child safety
    concerns” regarding Mother. The therapist “reported that she
    previously had concerns in regards to [Father].” The record does
    not reveal the nature of those concerns.
    4
    On April 1, 2020, Mother reported to the social worker that
    Father “was calling and leaving ‘nasty’ messages.” Mother
    forwarded the messages to the social worker. They were
    profanity-filled messages, in which Father expressed anger at
    Mother because she would not let him visit Aiden.
    The social worker spoke with 12-year-old A.S.’s therapist
    on April 3, 2020, the same day A.S.’s therapist confronted Mother
    about whether she was “addicted [to] pills.” Mother denied she
    was addicted to pills, but she told A.S.’s therapist she believed
    Father was using methamphetamine. As stated in DCFS’s April
    21, 2020 Detention Report:
    “[Mother] disclosed to [A.S.’s] therapist that she believes
    Aiden’s father was possibly abusing methamphetamine. She
    based these concerns on the fact that in the recent past he left
    synthetic urine in minor Aiden’s overnight bag. [Mother] also
    said that in the past when he was asked to drug test, he used
    synthetic urine. Therapist said that [Mother] also shared with
    her that [Father] has called her a ‘pill popping bitch.’ This
    caused the therapist to question the length of time that [Mother]
    has been abusing pills as she questioned how [Father] would
    know about this as he had been out of the home for a year.”
    During an April 7, 2020 interview, the social worker asked
    Mother if she had any current concerns about Father abusing
    drugs. Mother responded affirmatively and repeated what she
    had told A.S.’s therapist, “that in the recent past when [Father]
    had dropped minor Aiden off, he left a bag of synthetic urine in
    Aiden’s overnight bag.” The following day, when the social
    worker went to Mother’s home to inform her that she had tested
    positive for methamphetamine, the social worker asked Mother if
    she and Father had used methamphetamine together. Mother
    5
    stated that “when she met [Father] over twenty years ago, they
    did use together but had not used together recently.” Mother
    admitted to the social worker that she began using
    methamphetamine again about two or three months before, after
    a 10-year hiatus. She also admitted that the children’s maternal
    aunt who lived with her and the children had recently used
    methamphetamine.
    The social worker was unable to reach Father. She left him
    voice mail messages and texted him on several days between
    April 1, 2020 and April 9, 2020. Father did not return the
    messages.
    On April 10, 2020, DCFS obtained from the juvenile court
    an order for the removal of the children. DCFS served it at
    Mother’s home on April 14, 2020. Father and Aiden’s paternal
    grandmother appeared at Mother’s home while the social worker
    was removing the children. The social worker told Father that
    she had been trying to contact him. The social worker asked
    Father about Mother’s drug use, and Father declined to provide
    any information. The social worker placed the children in foster
    care.
    Later the same day, the social worker called Father.
    Initially, he “was very uncooperative,” declining to provide
    information about Mother’s drug use. Eventually, he
    acknowledged he had concerns about Mother’s pill use, which he
    became aware of about a year before. The social worker asked
    why he did not contact DCFS or respond to the social worker’s
    messages. He responded that “nobody would listen to him.” He
    added, “ ‘You guys just attacked me.’ ”
    The social worker then asked Father if he had any current
    or past drug abuse. He replied, “ ‘This is what I am talking
    6
    about. You are trying to screw me.’ ” The social worker asked if
    he would drug test, and he said he would, after “he spoke to a
    Judge.” Later in the discussion, Father denied any current or
    past drug use and agreed to submit to an on demand drug test
    the next day. He showed for the drug test and the results were
    negative.
    B.     Dependency petition and detention hearing
    On April 16, 2020, DCFS filed a dependency petition under
    section 300, subdivision (b), alleging the children were at risk of
    harm due to Mother’s history of substance abuse, including
    current abuse of amphetamine, methamphetamine, and
    prescription and over-the-counter medication (count b-1);
    Mother’s history of mental and emotional problems (count b-2);
    Mother’s history of driving the children while under the influence
    (count b-3); and Mother’s decision to allow the children’s
    maternal aunt to live with and have unlimited access to the
    children although Mother knew the maternal aunt was a
    methamphetamine user (count b-4). The petition also alleged
    that Father failed to protect Aiden from Mother’s substance
    abuse (count b-1) and Mother’s mental and emotional problems
    (count b-2).
    At the April 21, 2020 detention hearing, Mother submitted
    to the children’s detention and Father requested that the juvenile
    court release Aiden into his care. Father’s counsel stated that
    Father would agree to unannounced visits, drug testing “upon
    reasonable suspicion, and any further safety measures that the
    court would be inclined to order.” Father’s counsel also explained
    that Father lived with the children’s paternal aunt, which was an
    added “safety measure.” The children’s counsel urged the
    juvenile court to detain Aiden from Father and order monitored
    7
    visitation and drug testing for Father “based on his history of
    drug use and also the mother’s suspicion that he may still be
    using.” DCFS’s counsel also recommended Aiden’s detention
    from Father.
    The juvenile court found DCFS made a prima facie showing
    that the children were persons described by section 300. The
    court detained the children from Mother and released Aiden to
    Father under “the following conditions”: (1) that Father was
    testing clean”; (2) that Father resided with the paternal aunt or
    in other DCFS approved housing; and (3) that DCFS was to make
    unannounced home visits. The court ordered monitored
    visitation for Mother and referrals for weekly, on demand drug
    and alcohol testing for Mother and Father.
    On April 23, 2020, DCFS informed the juvenile court that it
    received the results from Father’s April 15, 2020 drug test, and
    he tested negative, as set forth above.
    C.    First amended dependency petition
    On July 30, 2020, DCFS filed a first amended petition,
    including all the allegations set forth in the original petition (as
    summarized above), and adding the following allegations in count
    b-5:
    “[Father] failed to comply with the 04/21/20 Juvenile Court
    orders. The father was ordered to participate in drug testing. On
    05/15/20, 05/18/20, 05/26/20, 05/27/20, 07/06/20, and 07/07/20, the
    father was a No Show for his drug testing. The father’s failure to
    comply with Court orders[] endangers the child’s [Aiden’s]
    physical health and safety and places the child at risk of serious
    physical harm, damage, danger and failure to protect.”
    8
    D.    Jurisdiction and disposition
    A dependency investigator interviewed Father, as
    summarized in DCFS’s August 17, 2020 Jurisdiction/Disposition
    Report. When the investigator asked Father about Mother’s
    history of methamphetamine and cocaine use as alleged in count
    b-1 of the original and first amended petitions, Father responded:
    “ ‘I don’t know about meth. I don’t know about drugs.’ ” He
    acknowledged he knew that Mother was prescribed pills for
    anxiety.
    When the dependency investigator questioned Father
    regarding the allegation in the first amended petition about his
    missed drug tests, Father denied that he missed any tests and
    denied that he used any illegal substances. DCFS attached to the
    Jurisdiction/Disposition Record a record showing Father tested
    negative for drugs on nine occasions between April 15, 2020 and
    July 24, 2020, and Father missed the five scheduled drug tests
    that were listed in the first amended petition (as set forth
    5
    above).
    Aiden’s paternal aunt, who lived with him and Father,
    made the following comments, in pertinent part: “ ‘I live in the
    6
    same house as Aiden. The baby[ ] is very active and hyper. You
    have to keep an eye on him. Compared to my son[,] he is very
    5
    We note that the record DCFS presented shows that
    Father tested negative for drugs on May 27, 2020, and that he
    was a “no show” for a drug test on the same date (which is one of
    the missed tests listed in count b-5 in DCFS’s first amended
    dependency petition).
    6
    Aiden was nearly three years old at the time the paternal
    aunt made these comments.
    9
    active. He is very hyper. He has a lot of energy. . . . [Father]
    takes good care of him. They are getting more attached because
    [Father] couldn’t see [Aiden] much before.’ ”
    DCFS recommended the juvenile court sustain the first
    amended petition, remove Aiden from Father’s custody, grant
    Father reunification services, and order monitored visitation
    between Father and Aiden. DCFS also recommended Father “be
    ordered to participate in a substance abuse program if he
    continues to miss drug tests or test positive.”
    At the August 17, 2020 adjudication hearing, the juvenile
    court admitted into evidence DCFS’s reports (and exhibits from
    Mother). The children’s counsel urged the juvenile court to
    sustain the allegation regarding Mother’s history of substance
    abuse and Father’s failure to protect Aiden from Mother’s
    substance abuse (count b-1). The children’s counsel asked the
    court to dismiss all other allegations in the first amended
    petition, including the allegation regarding Father’s missed drug
    tests (count b-5). Regarding the latter allegation, the children’s
    counsel argued: “Whereas Father did fail to drug test[,] there’s
    no nexus of harm between Father not drug testing and harm to
    the child. The child does appear to be well-taken care of [], and
    there are no concerns based on my independent investigation, as
    well as the evidence before the court.”
    Mother asked the juvenile court to dismiss all allegations
    against her (counts b-1—b-4), and Father urged the court to
    dismiss all allegations against him (the failure to protect
    allegations in counts b-1 & b-2, and the missed drug test
    allegations in count b-5). Regarding count b-5, Father’s counsel
    argued:
    10
    “[DCFS] states Father’s failure to test places Aiden at
    substantial risk of harm. However, [DCFS] has failed to show
    any indication that Father has been under the influence of
    substances or specifically how Aiden has been placed at risk of
    harm simply due to Father’s missed tests. Father is now testing
    consistently, I believe, on a weekly basis. Although[] [DCFS] may
    argue that any missed tests are deemed positive, positive for
    what drug, Your Honor[?] There are no collateral statements or
    documentary support offered by [DCFS] to prove my client has
    been under the influence of any illicit drugs. Although[] Father
    ha[d] missed tests in the month of May, there may have been
    some miscommunication with regards to setting Father up
    because he’s testing consistently and regularly for [DCFS].
    “And, further, I believe [DCFS] may cite two missed tests
    on July 6 and 7th, but Father had a test on July 8th, making up
    that missed test.
    “And, additionally, Your Honor, with respect to page 36 of
    the Jurisdiction Report, [DCFS] states, ‘[a]dditionally substance
    abuse may be a problem for Father [R.],’ but offers no support in
    support of this assertion. And Father is residing with the
    paternal aunt, . . . who was interviewed in the Jurisdiction
    Report and states that Father takes good care of Aiden, and no
    concerns were noted.
    “So given the lack of sufficient evidence regarding nexus or
    current risk, I’m asking the court respectfully to dismiss the [b-5]
    allegation.”
    DCFS’s counsel asked the juvenile court to sustain the first
    amended petition in its entirety. Regarding count b-5, DCFS’s
    counsel argued: “Father failed to test six times. The release of
    minor [Aiden] to Father was on condition that he test clean. And
    11
    a missed test is a dirty test. So we would ask that that be
    sustained as well. [¶] In addition, [DCFS] at this time is asking
    that minor be detained from [Father] because of his failure to test
    and failure to comply with the terms to release to him.”
    The juvenile court sustained count b-1 (Mother’s history of
    substance abuse and Father’s failure to protect Aiden from
    Mother’s substance abuse) and count b-5 (Father’s missed drug
    tests). The court dismissed the other counts in the first amended
    petition. In sustaining count b-5, the court commented:
    “I am going to sustain that [allegation] against [Father]
    because he was ordered to participate in drug testing by this
    court on April 21st, and he had multiple failures. I know that
    [his counsel] highlighted the time he did appear on July 8th, but
    prior to that he had approximately six missed tests or no shows.
    And that certainly raises a red flag in the court’s mind.”
    Turning to disposition, DCFS asked the juvenile court to
    remove the three children from Mother and remove Aiden from
    Father. Mother requested that the court release her three
    children to her custody. Father requested that Aiden remain in
    his custody. Regarding a testing requirement in Father’s case
    plan, Father’s counsel stated: “Father is requesting that, given
    his negative test results, that he only be tested upon reasonable
    suspicion. However, given the court’s findings today with regards
    to sustaining the [b-5] allegation, Father would also be amenable
    to testing on a regular basis, if the court is so inclined as added
    protective measure. But I believe weekly testing at this time has
    -- Father has cooperated with the weekly testing. We request
    Father continue to do maybe a set amount of tests, if the court is
    inclined to order some sort of testing. Maybe eight consecutive
    tests.”
    12
    The children’s counsel urged the juvenile court to leave
    Aiden in Father’s custody, and allow shared custody of Aiden for
    Mother, and place A.S. and M.A. in Mother’s custody. Regarding
    Aiden and Father, the children’s counsel stated: “I would be in
    agreement with Father’s attorney that Father -- there is no risk
    to this child, and [Father] is testing negative. So if the court
    were to order eight consecutive tests, I believe that would be
    sufficient in order to ensure this child is safe with [Father] who
    lives with paternal relatives.”
    The juvenile court released the children to their parents’
    custody, commenting: “Mr. R[.] [Father], as far as I’m concerned
    with you, I’m going out on a limb. I’m not happy with the dirty
    testing -- or the no testing, more appropriately stated. I’m going
    to put some conditions on both of these parents because I want
    them to prove me wrong and show me that they can act
    responsibly. Otherwise, this court, if this comes back before this
    court, I will have no alternative but to remove the children if
    need be, and they can be suitably placed.”
    The juvenile court ordered Father to participate in “a drug
    and alcohol program for a minimum of six months” and to submit
    to random, weekly drug testing. Father’s counsel responded:
    “With respect to the six-month program, Father vehemently
    objects to this order, as [DCFS] did not recommend this. There
    have been absolutely zero statements from any collateral [sic]
    indicating that Father has a current substance abuse issue.
    Father was asked to [test] as a safety measure at the detention
    hearing, but Father has been testing regularly since June; so for
    two months and now going on three months, Father has been
    testing.” The court replied: “Your objection, [counsel], is noted
    for the record. I am putting as much of a safety plan as I can for
    13
    this family, and more particularly for these children’s needs and
    well-being. So over Father’s vehement objection, I am ordering
    that program as I’ve indicated previously.” The court also
    ordered Mother to complete a case plan and ordered family
    preservation services for Mother and Father.
    DISCUSSION
    I.     Justiciability of Father’s contention
    “When a dependency petition alleges multiple grounds for
    its assertion that a minor comes within the dependency court’s
    jurisdiction, a reviewing court can affirm the juvenile court’s
    finding of jurisdiction over the minor if any one of the statutory
    bases for jurisdiction that are enumerated in the petition is
    supported by substantial evidence. In such a case, the reviewing
    court need not consider whether any or all of the other alleged
    statutory grounds for jurisdiction are supported by the evidence.”
    (In re Alexis E. (2009) 
    171 Cal.App.4th 438
    , 451.)
    In this appeal, Father challenges the sufficiency of the
    evidence supporting the juvenile court’s jurisdictional finding
    that his missed drug tests placed Aiden at risk of serious physical
    harm (count b-5). He does not challenge the juvenile court’s
    jurisdictional finding that he failed to protect Aiden from
    Mother’s substance abuse (count b-1), and Mother has not
    challenged the finding regarding her history of substance abuse
    7
    either. As Father acknowledges, the juvenile court’s jurisdiction
    over Aiden will continue, whether or not this court reverses the
    7
    As set forth above, the juvenile court dismissed the
    allegations in the first amended dependency petition other than
    counts b-1 and b-5.
    14
    jurisdictional finding he challenges (b-5), based on the
    jurisdictional finding that neither he nor Mother challenges (b-1).
    Appellate courts may exercise discretion to reach the
    merits of a parent’s challenge to one of multiple jurisdictional
    findings “in three situations: (1) the jurisdictional finding serves
    as the basis for dispositional orders that are also challenged on
    appeal; (2) the finding[] could be prejudicial to the appellant or
    could impact the current or any future dependency proceedings;
    and (3) the finding could have consequences for the appellant
    beyond jurisdiction.” (In re J.C. (2014) 
    233 Cal.App.4th 1
    , 4.) In
    his opening appellate brief, Father asks this court to exercise its
    discretion to review the merits of his challenge to jurisdictional
    finding b-5 regarding his missed drug tests. Because this
    jurisdictional finding is the basis for a disposition order that
    Father separately challenges on appeal—the requirement that he
    participate in a drug and alcohol program for a minimum of six
    months—we review whether the juvenile court properly made
    this jurisdictional finding against Father.
    II.    Legal standards for jurisdiction under section 300,
    subdivision (b) and analysis
    Jurisdiction under section 300, subdivision (b), requires
    proof “[t]he child has suffered, or there is a substantial risk that
    the child will suffer, serious physical harm or illness, as a result
    of the failure or inability of his or her parent or guardian to
    adequately supervise or protect the child, . . . or by the inability of
    the parent or guardian to provide regular care for the child due to
    the parent’s or guardian’s . . . substance abuse.” (§ 300, subd.
    (b)(1).) It is undisputed that at the time of the adjudication
    hearing, Aiden had suffered no physical harm or illness. Thus,
    jurisdiction based on count b-5 required the juvenile court to find
    15
    by a preponderance of the evidence that there was a substantial
    risk Aiden would suffer serious physical harm or illness in the
    future as a result of Father’s failure or inability to adequately
    supervise, protect, or provide regular care for Aiden because of
    his substance abuse. (§ 355, subd. (a) [“Proof by a preponderance
    of evidence must be adduced to support a finding that the minor
    is a person described by Section 300”].)
    In deciding whether there is a substantial risk of serious
    physical harm or illness, within the meaning of section 300,
    subdivision (b), courts evaluate the risk that is present at the
    time of the adjudication hearing. “While evidence of past conduct
    may be probative of current conditions, the question under
    section 300 is whether circumstances at the time of the hearing
    subject the minor to the defined risk of harm.” (In re Rocco M.
    (1991) 
    1 Cal.App.4th 814
    , 824, abrogated in part on another
    ground in In re R.T. (2017) 
    3 Cal.5th 622
    , 627-629; In re Yolanda
    L. (2017) 
    7 Cal.App.5th 987
    , 993 [“When the jurisdictional
    allegations are based solely on risk to the child, that risk must be
    shown to exist at the time of the jurisdiction finding”].) “The
    juvenile court need not wait until a child is seriously injured to
    assume jurisdiction if there is evidence that the child is at risk of
    future harm . . . .” (Yolanda L., at p. 993.)
    “In a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence to support
    a jurisdictional finding, the issue is whether there is evidence,
    contradicted or uncontradicted, to support the finding. In making
    that determination, the reviewing court reviews the record in the
    light most favorable to the challenged order, resolving conflicts in
    the evidence in favor of that order, and giving the evidence
    reasonable inferences. Weighing evidence, assessing credibility,
    and resolving conflicts in evidence and in the inferences to be
    16
    drawn from evidence are the domain of the trial court, not the
    reviewing court.” (In re Alexis E., supra, 171 Cal.App.4th at pp.
    450-451.)
    The sum of the evidence in the record regarding Father’s
    purported use of illicit drugs is as follows: When Father and
    Mother met more than 20 years ago, they used
    methamphetamine together. Mother never stated she used
    methamphetamine with Father more recently. Mother said she
    suspected Father was using methamphetamine, not based on his
    behavior, but because she found what she determined to be
    synthetic urine in Aiden’s overnight bag at some point in the
    “recent past.” DCFS presented a report indicating Father missed
    drug tests on May 15, 18, 26, and 27, and July 6 and 7, 2020; he
    tested negative for drugs on April 15, May 27, June 11, 16, and
    8
    22, and July 2, 8, 17, and 24, 2020. There is no indication in the
    record that Father missed any drug test between July 24, 2020
    and the adjudication/disposition hearing on August 17, 2020.
    Assuming Father’s six missed drug tests count as positive
    tests for an unidentified substance, this does not show Father
    abused the unidentified substance. No one reported that Father
    appeared under the influence at any time relevant to these
    proceedings. Father had at least nine negative drug tests. At the
    time of the adjudication/disposition hearing, Father had been
    employed full time as a welder for five years. Father had no
    criminal history related to drugs. The six missed tests, without
    8
    As set forth above, this report indicates that Father tested
    negative for drugs on May 27, 2020, and he was a “no show” for
    his drug test on the same date (which is one of the missed tests
    listed in jurisdictional finding b-5).
    17
    more, do not support a finding of substance abuse sufficient for
    dependency jurisdiction. (See In re L.C. (2019) 
    38 Cal.App.5th 646
    , 652, 653 [reversal of jurisdictional finding where evidence
    showed a legal guardian used methamphetamine seven times in
    nine months, but “no substantial evidence showed he abused it”].)
    We reverse jurisdictional finding b-5 because it is not
    supported by substantial evidence that Father had a substance
    abuse issue at the time of the jurisdictional hearing. For the
    same reasons, we also reverse the portion of the disposition
    orders requiring Father to participate in a six-month drug and
    alcohol program. DCFS did not recommend such a program for
    Father in the juvenile court, and DCFS does not ask us to affirm
    this portion of the disposition orders on appeal. We affirm the
    portion of the disposition orders requiring Father to submit to
    random, weekly drug testing. Father consented to drug testing if
    there was a reasonable suspicion of drug use. His missed drug
    tests and the evidence regarding synthetic urine support the drug
    testing order. Even in the absence of a jurisdictional finding
    regarding substance abuse, a juvenile court may order a parent to
    submit to drug testing. “ ‘The problem that the juvenile court
    seeks to address [through court-ordered services] need not be
    described in the sustained section 300 petition.’ ” (In re D.L.
    (2018) 
    22 Cal.App.5th 1142
    , 1148.)
    18
    DISPOSITION
    Jurisdictional finding b-5 and the portion of the disposition
    orders requiring Father to participate in a drug and alcohol
    program are reversed. In all other respects, including the
    requirement that Father submit to random, weekly drug testing,
    the disposition orders are affirmed.
    NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
    CHANEY, J.
    We concur:
    ROTHSCHILD, P. J.
    BENDIX, J.
    19
    

Document Info

Docket Number: B307316

Filed Date: 4/2/2021

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 4/2/2021