Let's end the week with just one of the many depressing cases that all-too-regularly appear in the California Appellate Reporter.
This one, published earlier today, isn't even all that bad, really. It's not vicious abuse. It's not rape or murder or anything like that. It's just totally mundane.
And maybe that's why it's so scary. Just a ho-hum, run-of-the-mill story that's repeated thousands of times every year that generates little to no hope:
"E.G. was born in 2015 while his then 22-year-old mother, K.K. (mother),
and 34-year-old father, R.G., were incarcerated. After his birth, mother arranged to have
an unrelated female take E.G. home from the hospital. About two months later, SSA
received a welfare report concerning the state of this woman’s home. SSA substantiated the report—the home was extremely unsafe and unsanitary—and SSA took E.G. into
protective custody.
Shortly thereafter, SSA filed a dependency petition that alleged mother
failed to protect and provide for E.G. According to SSA reports,
mother started using methamphetamine in 2008, around the time of her 16th birthday.
She was a daily user of methamphetamine until she became pregnant in 2010 with E.G.’s
half sibling, B.G. Mother said she stopped using early in her pregnancy with B.G., and
she was able to stay away from it for a couple of years. However, in 2012, mother
returned to regular methamphetamine use, and B.G. went to live with his father.
In April 2012, mother was arrested for possessing drug paraphernalia. The
court ordered her to attend an 18-month deferred entry of judgment program pursuant to
PC1000. Mother reported being 'ordered to PC1000 three times,' and she said that she
had enrolled in a program, but failed to attend.
In late 2012, mother was arrested for a probation violation after she missed
an appointment with her probation officer. In 2014, she was convicted of evading a
peace officer and driving under the influence of alcohol, and the court ordered mother to
complete a three-month first offender alcohol treatment program.
By early 2015, mother was pregnant with E.G. and in jail with pending
felony charges for possession of fictitious checks, stolen access cards, stolen property,
and drugs."
Just another day in the Big City. Orange County, this time.
Nothing to see here.