In re A.M. CA2/8

Filed 12/24/24 In re A.M. CA2/8 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 EIGHT

In re A.M. et al., Persons Coming B332952 Under the Juvenile Court Law. Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. 20CCJP03787A-C LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

C.C.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from orders of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Marguerite D. Downing, Judge. Affirmed. Benjamin Ekenes, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Dawyn R. Harrison, County Counsel, Kim Nemoy, Assistant County Counsel, and Brian Mahler, Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent. _____________________________

SUMMARY The father in this dependency proceeding appeals from orders terminating jurisdiction over his three children and awarding sole legal and physical custody to mother with unmonitored visitation for father. He contends the orders were an abuse of discretion because there was no substantial evidence supporting them. Alternatively, he argues the award of sole legal custody to mother was an abuse of discretion. We affirm the orders. FACTS Father C.C. and mother N.M. have three children, A.M., born in 2016, El.M., born in 2018, and Er.M., born in 2019. The children were detained by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (Department), and in July 2020, the children were removed from father and released to mother, with monitored visitation for father. In September 2020, the court sustained allegations that father physically abused A.M. by striking the child with a belt, and that father and his female companion, D.J. (later his wife), had a history of domestic violence and of engaging in violent altercations in the presence of the children. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 300, subds. (a), (b) & (j); further undesignated statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code.) The allegations described three different incidents in April and June 2020. Allegations that mother failed to protect the children were also sustained. Father was ordered to enroll in parenting classes, individual counseling, and a 52-week domestic violence program. Mother was ordered to participate in various family maintenance services.