In re Angel M. CA2/2

Filed 1/9/14 In re Angel M. CA2/2 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 ANGEL M. et al., Persons Coming B248797 Under the Juvenile Court Law. (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. CK84173)

LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

CRYSTAL M.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Marguerite Downing, Judge. Affirmed. Janette Freeman Cochran, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. John F. Krattli, County Counsel, James M. Owens, Assistant County Counsel, Kim Nemoy, Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent. ___________________________________________________

Crystal M. (Mother) appeals from a juvenile court disposition order. She contends that there is insufficient evidence to support dependency jurisdiction over her children pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 300. Mother admitted to a social worker that she was using methamphetamine (meth) to cope with stress. Mother’s admitted drug use, coupled with her history of substance abuse, child cruelty and domestic violence, supports dependency jurisdiction over her young children. FACTS Mother has three children: S. (born in 2005), Angel (2008) and April (2012).1 Juan M. (Father) is the father of Angel and April. In 2009, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) received referrals regarding Mother’s family, and instituted voluntary services based on substantiated allegations of emotional abuse. Mother obtained a restraining order against Father due to domestic violence. In 2010, Mother was arrested for child cruelty, Father was arrested for domestic violence, and DCFS filed a dependency petition. In December 2010, the juvenile court sustained allegations that (1) Mother struck two-year-old Angel and burned his face and arm with a cigarette, causing unreasonable pain and suffering. Father knew of the abuse and failed to protect the child; (2) Mother and Father engaged in physical altercations in the children’s presence; and (3) Father has a history of substance abuse and currently uses meth and alcohol, rendering him incapable of providing regular child care. After Mother and Father participated in court- ordered services, Angel returned to Mother’s care in September 2011. The first dependency case terminated in May 2012, despite a February 2012 report from the paternal grandmother (PGM) that Mother and Father were “again using drugs,” leaving Angel unsupervised and unfed. In February 2013, four-year-old Angel asked the staff at his school for help because Mother and Father “were fighting over [one-month-old April] while [ ] Mother