In Re Frank L.

97 Cal.Rptr.2d 88 (2000) 81 Cal.App.4th 700 In re FRANK L., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law.

San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

Sonia P., Defendant and Appellant.

No. D034497. Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division One.

May 25, 2000. Review Denied August 16, 2000.[*] [89] Suzanne F. Evans, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, San Diego, for Defendant and Appellant.

John J. Sansone, County Counsel, Susan Strom, Chief Deputy County Counsel, and Patrice Plattner-Grainger, Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

Robert Wayne Gehring, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, San Diego, for Minor.

WORK, J.

Sonia P. (Mother) appeals the juvenile court's order placing her son Frank with his paternal aunt (Aunt) in North Carolina because separating Frank from his siblings was not in his best interests. Mother also contends Frank received ineffective assistance of counsel because attorney represented him as well as two of his siblings. Because Mother has no standing to raise either issue, we affirm the order.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A January 1998 dependency petition alleges Mother was incarcerated,[1] there was no other adult[2] available to care for [90] Frank, and his father's whereabouts were unknown. A true finding was made on the petition in July.

Frank's two siblings, C. and Joseph, live in San Diego. C. was diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder and dysthymic disorder, early onset. Joseph also had a depressive disorder and had been living in a licensed group home since March 1995 due to his need for a secure, structured, therapeutic setting.