1 ... S eeTe x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 8 - 0 5 9 - CV
I N T HE I NT E R E S TOF A .S ., T .S ., A N D C .S ., CH I L DR E N

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FR O M THE 323RD DI STRI CT CO URT O F TARRA NT CO UN TY

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### M E M ORANDU M OP I NI ON 1

----- ----- -- A f t era bench t ria l, t he t r i al courtt er m i nat ed A ppel l antJ. S . ’ s par ent al
r i ght s t o hi s dau ght er s A . S. , T. S. , an d C . S. I n onei ss ue, heco nt end s t hatt he evi den cei s f ac t ual l y i ns uf f i ci entt o s upportt he tri al co urt ’ s f i ndi ng t hatt he t er m i nat i on ofhi s par ent al r i ght s i s i n t he chi l dr en’ s bes ti nt er es t . Beca us e t he e v i d e n c e i s fa c tu a l l y s u fficie n t to s u p p o rt th e fi n d i n g , w e a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’s or deroft er m i nat i on.2 ... 24 9 S . W . 3d 62 5, 64 5 ( Tex . A pp. — FortW ort h 2 00 8, pet . deni ed) ( en

b a n c ). 3 ... 2 0 5 S .W .3 d 7 9 , 8 0

– 8 1 (T e x . A p p .— F o rt W o rth 2 0 0 6 , n o p e t.).

4 ... T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § § 1 6 1 .0 0 1 , 1 6 1 .2 0 6 (a ) (V e rn o n S u p p . 2 0 0 8 ).

5 ... Id. § 1 0 1 .0 0 7 (V e rn o n 2 0 0 2 ). 6 ... I nreJ. F. C. , 9 6 S .W .3 d 2 5 6 , 2 6 3 (T e x . 2 0 0 2 ); see I n re J. A . J. , 243 S. W . 3d 611, 616 ( Tex. 2007 ) (c o n t r as t i ng s t and ar dsf ort er m i nat i on a nd m o d i fi c a ti o n ). 2 A ppel l antal so r ai sed t he i ssue of t he f act ual suf f i ci ency oft he evi dence t o s up p o rt t he bes ti nt er es tf i ndi ng i n hi s t i m el y f i l ed com bi ned s t at em entof poi nt s and m ot i on f ornew t r i al . W e decl i ne t he S t at e’ s r equestt o r econsi der ourr ul i ngsi n InreD .W. 2 and I nreA. J. H. 3 a n d h o ld t hatt hi s i ssue w as su f f i ci ent l y pr es erved . Ter m i nat i on de ci si onsm us tbes upport ed by c l ea ran d c onvi nci ng evi dence. 4E v i d e n cei s cl ea ran d c onvi nci ng i fi t“ w i l l pr oduc e i n t he m i nd of t he t r i eroff ac ta f i r m be l i eforco nvi ct i on a s t o t he t r ut h oft he al l ega t i ons s o u g h t to b e e s ta b l i s h e d .” 5D u e p ro c e s s d e m a n d s th i s h e i g h te n e d s t a n d a rd bec aus e t er m i nat i on r es ul t s i n pe r m ane nt , i r r evo ca bl e c han gesf ort he par ent and ch i l d. 6 I n r evi ew i ng t he evi den cef or fa c t uals uf f i ci enc y, w e m us tgi ve due d e fe re n c e to th e fa c tfin d e r’s f i ndi ngs and nots uppl antt he j udgm entw i t h our7 ... I nreH. R. M. , 2 0 9 S .W .3 d 1 0 5 , 1 0 8 (T e x . 2 0 0 6 ). 8 ... I nreC. H. , 8 9 S .W .3 d 1 7 , 2 8 (T e x . 2 0 0 2 ). 9 ... H. R. M. , 209 S. W . 3d a t108. 10 ... I n reR. R. , 2 0 9 S .W .3 d 1 1 2 , 1 1 6 (T e x . 2 0 0 6 ). 11 ... T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 2 6 3 .3 0 7 (a ) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 2 ). 3 ow n. 7W e m u s td e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r , o n t h e e n t ir e re c o r d , a f a c t f in d e rc o u ld rea so n a b l yform a fi rm co n v i c ti o n o r b e l i e f th a t th e term i n a ti o n o f th e p a ren tchi l d r el at i ons hi p w oul d bei n t he bes t i nt er es t of t he chi l d. 8I f , i n l i ghtoft he ent i r e r ec or d, t he di sp ut ed evi den cet hata r ea so nab l e f ac t f i nde rco ul d notha ve cr edi t ed i n fa v o r o ft he f i ndi ng i s so s i gni f i ca ntt hata f ac t f i nde rco ul d not
r ea so nab l y ha ve f or m ed a f i r m be l i eforco nvi ct i on i n th e tr ut h ofi t s f i ndi ng, th e n the ev i d e n c e i s fa c tu a l l yi n su ffi c i e n t. 9 Ther e i s a st r ong pr es um pt i on t hat ke epi ng a chi l d w i t h a pa r enti s i n t he c h i l d ’s b e st i n tere st. 10 P rom p t a n d p e rm a n e n t plac e m e n t of th e ch i l d i n a s a fe e n v i ron m e n t i s a l so p res u m e d to b e i n the ch i l d ’s b e st i n tere st. 11 The f ol l ow i ng fac to rs sh o u l d b e co n side red i n e v a l u a ti n g the p a ren t’ s w i l l i n g n e ss an d ab i l i ty to p rov i d e the ch i l d w i th a s a fe e n v i ron m e n t:

( 1) t he chi l d’ s age and physi cal and m ent al vul ner abi l i t i es; ( 2) t he f r equen cy and natur e ofout - of
- hom e pl acem ent s;4 (3 ) th e m a g n i tu d e , fre q u e n c y , a n d c i rc u m s ta n c e s o f th e h a rm t o t he chi l d; (4 ) w h e th e r th e c h i l d h a s b e e n th e v i c ti m o f re p e a te d h a rm af t er t he i ni t i al r eport and i nt ervent i on by t he depart m entorot her age ncy ; ( 5) w het hert he chi l d i s f ea r f ul ofl i vi ng i n or r et ur ni ng t o t he chi l d’ s hom e; ( 6) t he r esul t s ofpsychi at r i c, psychol ogi cal , ordevel opm ent al eval uat i ons oft he chi l d, t he chi l d’ s par ent s, ot herf am i l y m em ber s, orot her s w ho hav e access t o t he chi l d’ s hom e; ( 7) w het hert her e i s a h i st ory ofab us i ve oras sa ul t i ve c o n d u c t b y t h e c h i l d ’ s f a mi l y o r o t h e r s wh o h a v e a c c e s s t o t he chi l d’ s hom e; ( 8) w het hert her e i s a h i st ory ofs ubs t anc e a bus e b y t he chi l d’ s f am i l y orot her s w ho hav e access t o t he chi l d’ s hom e; (9 ) w h e t h e rt h e p e r p e t r a t o ro ft h e h a r m t o t h e c h ild is i den t i f i ed; ( 10 ) the w i l l i ngn ess and abi l i t y oft he chi l d’ s f am i l y t o seek o u t, ac c e p t, an d co m p l e te c o u n se l i n g se rvi c e s a n d to c o o p e rate w i t h a nd f ac i l i t at e a n a ppr opr i at e a gen cy’ s cl os e s upe rvi si on; ( 11 ) t he w i l l i ngn ess and abi l i t y oft he chi l d’ s f am i l y t o ef f ect p o s it iv e e n v ir o n m e n t a l a n d p e r s o n a l c h a n g e s w it h in a re a s o n a b le per i od of t i m e; (1 2 ) w h e th e r t h e ch i l d ’s fam i l yd e m o n strate s a d e q u a te par ent i ng sk i l l s, i ncl udi ng pr ovi di ng t he chi l d and otherchi l dr en unde rt he f am i l y’ s ca r e w i t h:

( A ) m i ni m al l y adequ at e heal t h and nu t r i t i onal car e;12 ... Id. § 2 6 3 .3 0 7 (b ); R. R. , 209 S. W . 3d a t116. 5 ( B) ca r e, nurt ur anc e, an d a pprop r i at e d i sc i pl i ne consi st entw i t h t he chi l d’ s physi cal and psycho lo g ic al d e v e l o p m e n t; (C ) g u i d a n c e a n d s u p e rvi s i o n c o n s i s te n t w i th th e c h i l d ’s sa f et y; (D ) a sa fe p h y sica l h o m e en v i ron m e n t; ( E) pr ot ect i on f r om r epeat ed exposure t o vi ol ence even t hough t he vi ol enc e m ay notbedi r ec t ed att he chi l d; a nd ( F) an u nde r st and i ng oft he chi l d’ s nee dsan d ca pab i l i t i es ; an d ( 13) w het heran ad equ at e s oci al s upports ys t em c o n si st i ng ofan ex t end ed f am i l y a nd f r i end s i s ava i l abl e t o t he chi l d. 12 O t her , nonex cl usi ve f act or s t hatt he t r i er off acti n a t er m i nat i on case m ay use i n det er m i ni ng t he besti nt er estoft he chi l d i ncl ude: ( A ) t he des i r esoft he chi l d; ( B) t he em ot i ona l an d phy si ca l nee ds oft he chi l d now an d i n t he f ut ur e; ( C ) t he em ot i ona l an d phy si ca l da nge rt o t he chi l d now an d i n t he f ut ur e; ( D ) t he par ent al abi l i t i es oft he i ndi vi dua l s se ek i ng c us t ody; (E) th e p rog ra m s a v a i l a b l e to a ss i st th e se i n d i v i d u a l s to pr om ot e t he bes ti nt er es toft he chi l d;13 ... Ho l le yv. A da ms , 5 4 4S .W .2 d 3 6 7 , 3 7 1

– 7 2 (T e x . 1 9 7 6 ). 14 ... C.H ., 8 9 S .W .3 d a t 2 7 . 15 ... Id. 16 ... Id. 6 ( F) t he pl a nsf ort he chi l d byt hes e i ndi vi dua l s orby t he age ncys ee ki ng c us t ody; (G ) th e sta b i l i ty o f t h e h o m e o r pro p o se d p l a c e m e n t; (H ) th e ac ts o r om i ss i o n s o f t h e p a ren t w h i c h m a yi n d i c a te th a t t he e xi s t i ng pa r e nt - c hi l d r e l a t i on s hi p i s no t a pr ope rone ; an d (I ) a n yex c u se for the ac ts o r om i ss i o n s o f t h e p a ren t. 13 T h e s e f a c t o r s a r e n o t e x h a u s t iv e ; s o m e lis t e d f a c t o r s m a y b e in a p p lic a b le to s om e cases; ot herf act or s noton t he l i stm ay al so be consi der ed w hen appr opr i at e. 14Fu rt her m or e, undi sp ut ed evi den ceofj us ton e fac t orm ay be suf f i ci enti n a part i cul arcase t o suppo rt a f i ndi ng t hat t er m i nat i on i s i n t he best i nt er es toft he chi l d. 15 O n t he ot her hand , t he pr esence of sc a n t e v id e nce r el eva ntt o e ac h f ac t orw i l l nots upports uch a f i ndi ng. 16 Th e evi dence show s t hatA . S . , T. S . , and C . S . w er e f i ve, f our , and t hr ee year s ofage r espect i vel y att he t i m e of t r i al i n l at e 20 07 and ear l y 20 08 . Th ey f i r stent er ed t he S t ate’ s car e vi a D al l as C oun t y C PS i n Jun e 20 05 aft er a l l e g a ti o n s th a t t h e i r m o th e r ne g l e c ted an d ab u se d the m . ( T h e i r m o th e r’ s ri g h ts7

w er e a l so t er m i nat ed; s he di d not app ea l . ) Appel l antw ashom el es s and a dr ug addi ctatt he t i m e oft he f i r str em oval . W hi l e t he S t at e of f er ed hi m servic e s, he di d notpa rt i ci pat e i n a ny; hedi d te stpos i t i ve f orco ca i ne. He vi si t ed t he chi l dr en no m or e t han f i ve t i m esdur i ng t he f i r stei ght ee n m ont hst hatt he chi l dr en w er e i n t he S t at e’ s car e. In J u n e 2 0 0 6 , th e S ta te p l a c e d th e c h i l d re n w i th A p p e l l a n t’sb ro th e r, B. S . , w ho w as l at eraw ar ded per m anent m a nagi ng con servat or shi p i n D ecem ber 20 0 6 . A ppel l antsaw t he gi r l s occasi onal l y w hen t hey w er e w i t h hi s br ot her b u t did n o t pro v i d e co n tac t i n fo rm a ti o n to th e S tate an d n e v e r attem p ted to contactt he S t at e dur i ng t hatt i m e. I n Ja nua r y 2007, B. S. t ookt he chi l dr en t o t he Fort W ort h CPS of f i cean d
r el i nqui sh ed cus t ody. The S ta te co ul d notl oca t e Appel l antatt hatpoi ntbut f ile d a p e t it io n f o r t e r m in a t io n o f p a r e n t a l rig h t s la t e rt h a tm o n t h a n d s e rv e d h im
w i t h t he pet i t i on on Feb r uar y 1, 20 07 . Sh’ ni qua A l f or d, a C PS casew or ker , m et
w i t h A ppel l ant , w ho w as st i l l hom el ess. She tol d hi m t hatB. S . had r e t ur ned t he chi l dr en t o C PS and t hatt hey w er e goi ng t o r em ai n i n f ost ercar e; she al so to l d h i m ab o u t t h e fam i l yse rvi c e p l a n . A p p e l l a n t state d tha t he w a n ted to part i ci pat e i n s e rvi ce s butw ant ed hi s chi l dr en t o l i ve w i t h B. S. Al f or d ga ve A ppe l l antal l ofhe rco nt ac ti nf or m at i on; A ppe l l ant pr ovi ded none . He di d not c o n ta c t A l fo rd a g a i n u n ti l s e v e ra l m o n th s l a te r.8

O n A ugu st31 , 20 07 , A ppel l antl ef ta m essage w i t h A l f or d, st at i ng t hat he w ant ed t he chi l dr en back. H e w ent t o her of f i ce, and t hey agai n di scussed t he f am il y p la n. A l f or d advi sed hi m t hathe shoul d st artt he servi ces i m m edi at el y a nd t ak e a dr ug t es t . He t es t ed pos i ti ve f orco ca i ne. Appel l ant deni ed usi ng dr ugs att hat tim e . A ppel l antvi si t ed hi s chi l dr en i n S ept em ber 2 0 0 7 . T h a t w a s th e l a s t c o n ta c t h e h a d w i th h i s c h i l d re n . O n t h e la s t d a yo ft r ia l, A p p e lla n tre p o rt e d t h a th e h a d n o tu s e d d r u g s in t he pr evi ous t hr ee m onths, he had a j ob at Bu r ger K i ng, and h e h a d an a p a rt me n t . B u th e h a d n o tp u r s u e d c o mp l e t i n g a GE D o ra t t e n d i n g AA o rNA
m eet i ngs af t erhi t t i ng m i norst um bl i ng bl o cks, he had no tpur sued any other t y p e o fd r u g t r e a t m e n t , a n d t h e p r o g r a m p a y in g t h e r e n t a n d e le c t r ic it yo n h is one- bedr oom apart m ent , Pr oj ectN ew Start , w oul d notm ake paym ent s aft er t hi rt y da ys ’ not i cei fhegotphy si ca l cu st ody ofhi s chi l dr en. W hi l e Appel l antt es t i f i ed t hathi s chi l dr en w er e hap py t o s eehi m dur i ng t he one vi si t he m ade bet w een January 20 07 and t he t r i al t ha t e n d e d a year l at er , t hei rf ost erm ot her , w i t h w hom t hey had l i ved sever al m onths, t est i f i ed t hat t he chi l dr en di d not t al k abo ut hi m and cr i ed w hen con f r ont ed w i th t he p o s s ib ilit yo fh a v in g t o liv e w it h h im

— C .S . r e g r e s s e d a n d b e g a n t o w e th e r s e lf atdi f f er entt i m es , T. S. w ast ea r f ul an d s ca r ed, an d A. S. “ f ed of f ev erybod y e l s e .”9

A l l oft he chi l dr en had m ade outcr i es ofsexual abuse agai nstB. S . , w hi ch
w e re s t i l l unde ri nve st i gat i on, by t he t i m e o ft he l as tda y oft r i al i n Ja n u a ry 20 08 , and t her e w as evi dence t hat al l t hr ee gi r l s w oul d need t her apy t o addr ess t hati ssue. Furt her , th e re w as evi dence t hatal l t hr ee gi r l s have t r usti ssues r el at i ng t o m en. A ddi t i ona l l y, A . S. ha s sp ee ch pr obl em s and a cog ni t i ve def i ci enc y. She
n e e d s e x t r a h e lp in s c h o o l a n d w ill c o n t in u e t o n e e d h e lp . S h e h a s t r o u b le pr oce ss i ng l ang uag e and t r oubl e w i t h m at h. She m ay nee d s pee ch t her apyan d o c c u p a t io n a l t h e r a p y . E v e n t h o u g h s h e w a s in k in d e r g a rt e n a tt h e t im e o ft r ia l, she f uncti oned att he l evel ofa t w o- year - ol d. S he w as al so get t i ng neu r ol ogi cal an d ge net i c t es t i ng t o t r y t o de t er m i ne w hatw aspr eve nt i ng he rf r om dev el opi ng a ge- app r opr i at el y. W hen A . S. f i r stbe gan t o l i ve w i th the f os t erm ot herab outt en m ont hs bef or e t he f i nalda y oft r i al , s he w asqui etan d s hy, butatt he t i m e o ft r i al s he
w asex ci t ed abo uts cho ol , ha d f r i end s, an d ha d be gun o pen i ng up . T. S . , t he m i ddl e chi l d, m ot her s he r tw o si st er s. She i s on t r ack devel opm ent al l y but has som e att achm ent and bon di ng i ssues. W hen she f i r st beg an l i vi ng w i t h t he f os t erm ot her , s he had ni ght m ar esan d w asaf r ai d t o go bac k t o s l ee p. Att he t i m e o ft r i al , s he w ast hr i vi ng.10

C . S. , t he youn g e s t c h i l d, ha s so m e s pee ch i ss ues . She us ed f oul la n g u a g e w h e n s h e f ir s ta r r iv e d a tt h e f o s t e rm o t h e r ’s h o u s e , b u ta tt h e t im e oft r i al she used f oul l angu age l ess and w oul d cor r ecther sel fw hen she di d use i t. The c hi l dr en’ s t her api stt es t i fi e d thatt he gi r l s nee d t o bepl ac ed i n a st abl e e n v i ronm ent . She t es t i f i ed t hati ft heyw er e p l ac ed i n a n uns t abl e o r uns t r uct ur ed env i r onm ent , t heyw oul d be“ hi ghl y dy sf unc t i ona l , pr oba bl y no t bei ng a bl e t o pe r f or m w el l i n s cho ol ; . . . an d [ i tw oul d b e ] v e ry di f f i cul tf or th e m to p ro g re s s i n s c h o o l a s o th e r c h i l d re n d o .” Ther e w asev i den cet hatt he chi l dr en had bond ed w i t h t he f os t erf am i l y, t hatt he chi l dr en w er e happyand w el l car ed f or i n a st abl e hom e, and t hatt hey got a l otofatt ent i on and suppo rt f r om t hei r f ost er f am i l y. Th e evi dence al so show ed t hatt he f ost erpar ent s w ant ed t o adop tthe chi l dr en and t hatsuch a d o p ti o n w a s th e S tate ’s p l a n . F u rt h e r, the f o s t e r pa ren ts w e re w i l l i n g to m ai nt ai n t he chi l dr en’ s cont actw i t h ot hersi bl i ngs. Th er e w as l i t t l e evi dence of A ppel l ant ’ s par ent al abi l i t y. H e adm i t t ed t hat h e h a d n o tn u rt u r e d o rf e d t h e c h ild r e n s in c e 2 0 0 5 a n d t h a t h e d id n o tm e e th is ow n c har ac t er i st i csofa good f at her

— “[ b] ei ng t her e, ca r i ng f ort hem , f ee di ng, bat hi ng, nurt ur e. ” D ur i ng t he si x- w ee k del ay bet w ee n t he f i r stan d s ec ond d ays o f t ri a l , A p p e l l a n t sti l l d i d n o t vi sitthe ch i l d ren o r t a k e a d rug tes t.17 ... S ee T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 2 6 3 .3 0 7 (b ); Hol ley , 54 4 S . W . 2d at 371–7 2. 11 A ppl yi ng t he appr opr i at e st andar d ofr evi ew and consi der i ng t he Hol ley fa c to rsa n d th e s ta tu to ry f a c to rsfo r eva l uat i ng Appel l ant ’ s w i l l i ngne ssan d a b i l i ty to p rov i d e h i s c h i l d ren w i th a s a f e e n v iro n m e n t, 17w e h ol d t hatt he evi dence i s f a c t ual l y suf f i ci entt o suppo rtt he t r i al court ’ s f i ndi ng t hat te rm i n a ti o n o f A p p e l l a n t’sp a re n ta l ri g h ts i s i n th e c h i l d re n ’s b e s t i n te re s ts . W e t her ef or e o ver r ul e h i s so l e i ss ue and af f i r m t he t r i al co urt ’ s or deroft er m i nat i on. P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: DA U PH I N O T, W A LKER, an d M C C O Y, JJ. D E L IV E R E D : Nov e m be r6, 2008