In re I.M. CA2/2

Filed 11/5/25 In re I.M. CA2/2 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 TWO

In re I.M., a Person Coming Under B344029 the Juvenile Court Law. LOS ANGELES COUNTY Los Angeles County DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN Super. Ct. No. 22CCJP03018B AND FAMILY SERVICES,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

S.C., a Minor, etc.,

Appellant.

APPEAL from an order of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Cathy J. Ostiller, Judge. Affirmed. Janette Freeman Cochran, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Appellant. Dawyn R. Harrison, County Counsel, Kim Nemoy, Assistant County Counsel, and Jessica S. Mitchell, Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent. ____________________

This is an appeal from the juvenile court’s order terminating Mother Janet M.’s parental rights to minor I.M. at a Welfare and Institutions Code1 section 366.26 hearing, clearing the way for I.M. to be adopted by his longtime caretaker, Ms. K. In a separate appeal by Mother, we affirmed the juvenile court’s determination that the beneficial parental relationship exception to adoption (§ 366.26, subd. (c)(1)(B)(i)) did not apply. (In re I.M. (Oct. 2, 2025, B343804) [nonpub. opn.].) In this appeal by half sister S.C.,2 we affirm the juvenile court’s determination that the sibling relationship exception (§ 366.26, subd. (c)(1)(B)(v)) is inapplicable. BACKGROUND I.M. is a boy born in December 2019. His father is unknown. I.M. has significant special needs. Through the date of the order appealed, he remained largely nonverbal. S.C. is I.M.’s half sister. She was born in 2010. S.C. is over nine years older than I.M. In connection with the events described herein, the juvenile court also exercised jurisdiction over S.C. However, her case terminated in October 2024 when