In re V.A. CA2/5

Filed 3/27/24 In re V.A. CA2/5 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 FIVE

In re V.A. et al., Persons Coming B327613 Under the Juvenile Court Law. ___________________________________ (Los Angeles County LOS ANGELES COUNTY Super. Ct. No. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND 22CCJP03783A-D) FAMILY SERVICES,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

J.Q.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Tamara Hall, Judge. Dismissed. Christopher R. Booth, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Dawyn R. Harrison, County Counsel, Kim Nemoy, Assistant County Counsel, and Kelly G. Emling, Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

J.Q. (Father) is the father of four children: 16-year-old daughter V.A., 15-year-old daughter K.A, 13-year-old daughter N.A., and nine-year-old son C.A. (collectively, Minors).1 The juvenile court assumed dependency jurisdiction over Minors based on its findings that Father manhandled V.A. and punched K.A. in the face during a quarrel in public and had, on prior occasions, struck all of his children in anger. We consider (1) whether the appeal should be dismissed as moot as to the three younger children in light of the juvenile court’s later order terminating dependency jurisdiction over them and (2) whether the appeal should be dismissed as to the oldest child because the disposition hearing as to her was not completed (her whereabouts were then unknown) at the time the appeal was noticed.

I. BACKGROUND A. The Dependency Investigation and Petition On Sunday, August 21, 2022, Damela Romo (Romo) saw Father chase after V.A. and K.A., grab them each by an arm, and pull them back toward him. V.A. broke free from Father’s grasp and Father raised his right arm and punched K.A. in the face. According to Romo, the punch was so loud she was able to hear the impact from where she was standing. She videotaped the aftermath of the incident, which appeared to show V.A. and K.A. crying, and then called the police. When interviewed by the police, Father (who was separated from Minors’ mother) explained he worked as a street vendor selling food and he brought his children to work with him