Title: In Re Adoption of TM

State: pennsylvania

Issuer: Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Document:

389 Pa. Superior Ct. 303 (1989) 566 A.2d 1256 In re ADOPTION OF T.M., S.M., S.M., B.M., S.M. Appeal of A.M. Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Argued September 19, 1989. Decided November 30, 1989. *304 Robert A. DeLuca, Media, for appellant. James E. Delbello, Media, for appellee. Before TAMILIA, KELLY and CERCONE, JJ. TAMILIA, Judge. This is an appeal from an Order denying appellant's exceptions to the involuntary termination of her parental rights.[1] The appellant originally lost custody of her five minor children when the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County adjudicated them dependent on March 25, 1986, and placed them in foster care, following the court's determination the children were without proper care and control. At that time, appellee Children and Youth Services of Delaware County (hereinafter "CYS") was awarded legal custody of the children. On February 17, 1987, appellant was arrested for the fourth time on charges of retail theft, and delivered to Delaware County Prison, where she remained until September 28, 1987, when she was transferred to Keenan House, an Allentown, Pennsylvania, drug rehabilitation facility. CYS filed a petition for involuntary termination *305 of appellant's parental rights on May 24, 1988, and a hearing in the matter was held before the Honorable Francis J. Catania on September 1, 1988. Between the time of her transfer from Delaware County Prison and the date of the termination hearing, appellant resided continuously at Keenan House. On September 6, 1988, the court entered an Order and Decree terminating appellant's parental rights. Appellant's exceptions to the Order, filed September 22, 1988, were denied by the court on December 2, 1988, and this appeal followed. On appeal, appellant contends the court erred in terminating her parental rights because the evidence presented did not support a finding appellant evidenced a settled purpose of relinquishing her parental claim to her children, nor did the evidence show that she refused or failed to perform her parental duties. As this Court has stated in prior cases involving an involuntary termination of parental rights, our scope of review is limited to determining whether the hearing court's Decree is supported by clear and convincing, competent evidence. Absent an abuse of discretion or error of law, the termination Order will stand. Matter of K.L.P., 354 Pa.Super. 241, 511 A.2d 852 (1986). Applying this narrow standard of review to the instant case, and after a thorough examination of the record, we find the hearing court committed no abuse of discretion or error of law in terminating appellant's parental rights. The Adoption Act, 23 Pa.C.S. § 2511, states in pertinent part: The record indicates CYS has had custody of each of the children since March 25, 1986. The record further indicates since that time appellant has visited any of her children only once, on June 19, 1986. As the hearing court wrote in its comprehensive and well-reasoned Opinion: Slip Op., Catania, J., 4/13/89, pp. 6-7. Appellant made initial attempts to communicate with her children after she began treatment for her long-term drug addiction. However, a parent's extended periods of disinterest in her children will not be washed away by a minimal renewal of some interest in those children now. Adoption of Baby Boy A., 512 Pa. 517, 517 A.2d 1244 (1986). Nor can we accept appellant's contention her emotional, drug-related problems justified her failure to perform her parental duties, or at least make more of an effort to do so. In re Burns, 474 Pa. 615, 626, 379 A.2d 535, 541 (1977). Therefore, we reject appellant's explanation as to why she did not make more efforts related to her parental *308 obligations to her children, and find the evidence presented clearly and convincingly demonstrates appellant's settled purpose of relinquishing her parental claim to her children, and her refusal or failure to perform her parental duties, pursuant to section 2511(a)(1). Appellant also argues the court erred in finding appellant was incapable and neglectful in performing her parental duties and the said incapacity and neglect could or would not be remedied within a reasonable period of time. As stated above, we find ample evidence of appellant's incapacity and neglect in performing her parental duties. The issue, then, is whether, within the strictures of sections 2511(a)(2) and 2511(a)(5), the presently intolerable situation can be remedied within a reasonable period of time. We do not believe such a resolution can be made by appellant, with or without the assistance of CYS. Clearly, appellant has a serious drug problem which contributed in no small measure to her criminal activity and parental neglect. While appellant is now in treatment for her addiction and hopeful she will be able to place her life in order, a successful outcome is still problematical. Moreover, Slip Op. at 9 (emphasis in original). Contrary to the assertions of appellant, we find the conclusions of the court are supported by the record and testimony, notwithstanding some testimony appellant could *309 be a capable parent. While the court considered the testimony favorable to appellant, it found far more persuasive the testimony of both Linda Joseph, appellant's CYS caseworker, and Richard Roeder, a psychologist who interviewed appellant, that the conditions which led to the placement of appellant's children with CYS continue to exist, that appellant has not remedied those conditions sufficient to parent her children and that her parental rights should be terminated. One final observation, which we find pertinent in consideration of the best interest of the children, concerns whether or not reasonable prospects for placement of the children in adoptive homes exist. While this is not a statutory requirement in termination cases where the issue does not involve one parent attempting to terminate as to another parent, see In re Male Infant B.E., 474 Pa. 139, 377 A.2d 153 (1977), as stated in In re Burns, 474 Pa. 615, 379 A.2d 535 (1977), Id., 474 Pa. at 627, 379 A.2d at 541, quoting In re Male Infant B.E., supra, 474 Pa. at 143, n. 5, 377 A.2d at 155, n. 5. While this is not an evidentiary requirement, we find it reassuring and the better practice to have as a matter of record, the prospects and activities pursued for the permanent placement of the children. In this case, all the children are in pre-adoptive homes and will be adopted by those families (Record supplement, 10/18/89). In this fashion, we have the necessary assurance the agency is pursuing its responsibility for permanent placement of the children and that they will not remain rootless in temporary placement throughout the years of their minority. *310 Based on the foregoing analysis, we dismiss appellant's final claim the court erred in failing to give primary consideration to the needs and welfare of her children. Although termination of parental rights should be a last resort for the judicial system, based on appellant's past history, present status and future prospects for proper parenting, such an adjudication is now mandated. Order affirmed. [1] Appellant is the natural mother of her five children, all of whom were born out of wedlock S.M. and S.M. (twins) born 6/11/84, T.M. born 12/24/78, S.M. born 11/8/82, and B.M. born 8/9/85. The parental rights of all of the putative natural fathers have been terminated already by the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County.