Being appointed a Guardian is a huge responsibility. There are many circumstances under which a minor child would require a guardian. This blog is limited to the circumstance where a minor child's remaining parent and caregiver dies. Generally, since the child does not have a living parent, a guardian must be appointed to care for their well being. The legal term for this is called Guardianship of the person.
This is a huge job to consider prior to being undertaken. You will need to hire an experienced Los Angeles probate attorney if the child resides in Los Angeles County. Most likely, your attorney will need to immediately set up a temporary guardianship of the person because the minor will need to be looked after during the funeral and court proceedings.
A probate guardian of the person has custody of the minor and is responsible for the following duties pursuant to California Probate Code section 2250(a): which involves providing the minor wiht food/clothing and shelter; providing proper medical care; enrolling the minor in school; and supervising the minor's conduct. Before you consider taking such a serious role you should consult with not only your attorney but friends, family and the minor child to determine his or her needs.