(November 18)  The county this week facilitated the return of a child to his mother in Mexico.
On March 25, 2013, for the child’s safety, the San Bernardino County Department of Children and Family Services removed the child, then 11-years-old, from the father’s care. At that time, the child’s mother was residing in Mexico and unable to care for the child. With the assistance of the Mexican Consulate, the mother was located in Acapulco and engaged in family reunification services in order to be reunited with the child.
On March 14, 2014, the court gave CFS permission to reunite the child and mother in Acapulco, Mexico once the mother’s current residence was assessed and received approval.
The Department of Children and Family Services received the Desarrollo Integral de la Familiae llit (Mexican Social Services report) approving the mother’s residence and the report was submitted to the court. Since then, the Department of Children and Family Services has been working to acquire the appropriate documentation and travel arrangements for the child’s final placement into the mother’s home in Mexico.
A Mexican Consulate representative will accompany the child on the flight to Acapulco, Mexico in the interest of the child’s welfare. The travel costs for the Mexican Consulate representative will be covered by the Mexican Consulate. The board of supervisors this week approved the appropriation of $400 to cover the cost of the child’s airfare. It is anticipated that the travel for this reunification will be completed before the end of November 2014.