In re A.C. CA2/8

Filed 8/20/21 In re A.C. CA2/8 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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.C., a Person Coming B308470 Under the Juvenile Court Law. LOS ANGELES COUNTY (Los Angeles County DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN Super. Ct. No. 19CCJP02688A) AND FAMILY SERVICES,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

C.K.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from an order of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Stephen C. Marpet, Juvenile Court Referee. Affirmed.

Lori N. Siegel, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

No appearance for Plaintiff and Respondent.

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Mother C.K. appeals the juvenile court’s order awarding father sole legal custody of now nine-year-old A.C., arguing the court abused its discretion because it failed to consider A.C.’s best interests, and the evidence showed mother and father parented A.C. well together. We affirm. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND This family came to the attention of the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (Department) in April 2019, following reports of a domestic violence incident between mother and father, and that mother was intoxicated. When police arrived, mother’s face was swollen and bloody. All she would tell responding officers was that she had a fight with father, who had left the scene. A.C. was not present during the incident, and mother and father were no longer in a relationship. Mother has a history of referrals to the Department, including a referral in June 2018 that mother and her boyfriend engaged in domestic violence in front of the children (mother has a younger child with a different father, who is not at issue in this appeal), and a referral later that month that mother’s boyfriend had accidentally shot himself, and that he and mother were intoxicated and were not supervising the children. The referrals were closed as inconclusive. Mother’s criminal history disclosed multiple arrests for driving under the influence, and disorderly conduct while intoxicated. Father denied hurting mother, or having a history of domestic violence. Father’s relationship with mother was amicable, and she allowed father to see A.C. whenever he wanted, even though they did not have a custody agreement. He was reluctant to pursue obtaining a custody order because he did not want to “upset” mother. He also admitted he did not want to argue with mother because he worried she would limit his access to A.C. A.C. lived with father and his wife from May 2018 until October 2018, because