A.P, the toddler being observed was born on June 26, 2010 at 6am with a birth weight of 7 lbs, 10 oz and a length of 20.5 cm through a caesarian-section birth. A.P was fathered by J.P and mothered by T.P. Both parents are under the age of twenty five years of age with an age gap of 2 years between them both; J.P being twenty one, and T.P being nineteen years of age. A.P’s parents were in a relationship for two years before A.P was conceived. The couple did not plan the pregnancy. Once both parents realized that T.P was pregnant she moved in with J.P at his parents’ home. J.P’s family is from Ecuador so the house hold is predominately Spanish- speaking. The household consisted of J.P’s mother, step-father, and fifteen year old half brother. T.P did not get along with J.P’s mother which caused the house to become tense as well as adding stress on to T.P’s pregnancy. Both T.P and J.P attended birthing classes during the pregnancy in which J.P described as “learning the proper way to take care of the baby, like warming a bottle, nutrition, and coaching during the birthing process of the baby.” Pre-natal care was also done routinely and pre-natal vitamins were taken throughout the pregnancy. T.P did not use any drugs, alcohol, or smoke during the pregnancy; but her mother smoked around her, which caused her and the baby to inhale second hand smoke. A.P did not have any conditions or complications, and neither did T.P during the birthing process. After A.P was born J.P and T.P decided to get married and his mother did not approve of the marriage. They got married on October 10, 2010. J.P has stated that if it were not for A.P he would not have proposed to T.P and that their relationship would not have lasted as long as it had. J.P also stated that he wanted to do what was best for A.P, which was a “proper family” that lived together with both parents married. Being that J.P’s mother and T.P were still not getting along J.P and T.P decided to take A.P with them and relocate to Florida with T.P’s family. T.P’s family in Florida consisted of her mother, step-father, grandmother, and older brother. All of the family members in T.P’s household were English speaking. While in Florida J.P began drinking more heavily and also began drinking frequently with T.P’s family. T.P’s family expected the couple to pay rent which was more than they had been paying at J.P’s parents’ house. J.P began working at a club as a full time bartender while T.P stayed at home to take care of A.P. J.P and T.P began to have financial issues and other personal issues between them both that caused them to fight more often than usual and in front of A.P. Eventually T.P and J.P decided to separate; J.P left Florida and returned to North Plainfield, New Jersey, where he moved back in with his parents. T.P stayed in Florida for another month with A.P. J.P began working with his step-father at his general contracting business. When A.P and T.P moved back they moved too Watchung, New Jersey, with her father and step-mother. They share a room upstairs from where T.P’s uncle runs his floral business. The parents reside within twenty minutes away from each other. T.P also has a job and leaves A.P with an unknown individual while she is at work. T.P has primary custody of A.P, and J.P gets A.P from Friday afternoon to Monday night. When J.P gets visitation with A.P either his mother or he watches A.P. J.P states that A.P has a close relationship with his mother.
