C.A. 4th;
D071620

The Fourth Appellate District reversed in part a dependency court judgment. The court held that the dependency court erred in finding that the county provided adequate reunification services to a deported parent.

Parent A.J. was convicted of domestic assault and deported to Mexico. His three minor children thereafter became the subjects of dependency proceedings due to their mother's substance abuse. When he learned of the proceedings, A.J. told the social worker he wanted custody of the children and stated his willingness to participate in reunification services. He later told the social worker that he wanted to withdraw his requests for a home evaluation and reunification services because he was unable to pay for the children's education in Mexico. The social worker advised A.J. to speak with his attorney before waiving reunification services. He took that advice and, a week later, asked the dependency court to order reunification services for him. The court ordered the county to arrange for visitation for A.J. A subsequent case plan required A.J. to receive domestic violence counseling and to participate in a parenting education program. The local service provider in Tijuana, however, was unable to arrange such services for A.J.