THI RD DI VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, REESE and BROWN, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

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H I S
C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN
TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

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June 25, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 34 7 . IN THE INTEREST OF J . R. et al ., ch i l d ren

.

R E E S E
, J u d g e.

Ad am Ro bb i n s (t h e “ Ap p el l an t”) ap peal s fro m t h e ju v en i l e co urt ’ s

d et erm i n at i o n t h at J

. R., a fo urt een -y ear-o l d ch i ld

, M

. R., an ei g h t -y ear-o l d ch i l d

, an d

J

. R., a t wo -y ear-o ld ch i l d

, were d ep en den t wh i l e i n t h e Ap p el l an t ’ s cu s t o d y

. H e

arg u es t h at t h ere was i n s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t o s up p o rt t h e co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s t h at

d o m es t ic v io l en ce h ad b een co m m i t t ed i n t h e p res en ce o f th e ch il d ren an d t h at h e h ad

s u b s t an ce ab us e p ro b l em s lead i n g t o n e g l ect

. W e d i s ag ree, an d fo r t h e reas o n s s et

fo rt h i nfra, affi rm

.Vi ewed in t he l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e ju v en il e co urt ’ s ju d g m en t

, 1 t h e reco rd

s h o ws t h e fo l l o wi n g

. In Feb ru ary 2 0 2 0

, t h e co u rt en t ered a rem o v al o rd er p l aci n g t h e

t h ree ch i l d ren i n t h e cu s to dy o f t h ei r g ran d m o t h er. T h e co u rt fo u n d t h at t h e Di v i s i o n

o f Fam i l y an d Ch i l dren Serv ices (“ DFCS”) h ad recei v ed a rep o rt t h at t he ch i l d ren ’ s

m o th er h ad b een arres t ed fo r p o s s es s i o n of m et h am p h et am i ne wi t h t h e y o un g es t ch i ld

p res en t

. Th ere was lat er a d om es t i c v i o l en ce in ci den t wi th t he ch il d ren p res en t

, an d

t h e m o t her to o k t h e t wo y o u n g es t ch i l d ren t o h er p l ace o f em p l o ym e n t

. Th ere,

em erg en cy s erv ices h ad t o b e co n t act ed aft er t h e m o t h e r l o s t co n s ci o u s n es s d u e to

o v erd o s in g o n d ru g s

. Acco rd i n g t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s rem o val o rd er, th e ch il d ren s t at ed

t h at t h e Ap p el l an t was t h e p ri m ary ag gres s o r o f t he d om es t i c v io l en ce i n ci d en t

, an d

t h e o l der ch i l d ren were fearfu l o f t h ei r fat h er an d m o t her an d d id n o t wan t t o ret u rn

t o t hem

.

DFCS fi l ed a d ep en d en cy p et i t i o n reg ard i n g t h e th ree ch i l d ren in M arch 2 0 2 0.

Th e p et i t i o n al l eg ed t h at t h e Ap p el l an t h ad co m m i tt ed do m es t ic v i ol en ce ag ai n s t t h e

m o th er in fro n t o f t h e ch i l d ren , t h at b o t h p aren t s l ack ed t h e p ro tect i v e c ap aci t y to

p rev en t t h e ch i l d ren fro m bei n g p res en t d u ri n g do m es t ic vi o l en ce s i t u at io n s , t h at t h e

1 See I n t h e I n t er es t o f R. D.

, 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p. 2 5 7

, 2 59 (1 ) (8 1 6 SE2 d 1 3 2 ) (2 0 1 8).

2Ap p el l an t d i d n o t h av e s uffi ci en t h o u s i n g o r i n co m e t o care fo r t h e ch i l d ren , an d t h at

t h e Ap p el l an t h ad u n res o l v ed d ru g ab u s e i s s ues

.

Th e co u rt h el d a h eari ng o n t h e p et i t i o n. As a p rel i m i n ary m at ter, t he m o t h er

co n sen t ed t o t h e ch i l d ren ’ s d ep en d en cy

. M el i s s a W el l s , an ex pert i n fo ren s i c

i n t erv i ewi n g fro m t h e Green h o u s e Ch il d Ad v o c acy an d Sex u al A s s au lt Cen t er,

t es t i fi ed t h at s h e h ad in t erv i ewed ei g h t -y ear-o l d M

. R. an d fo u rt een -y ear-o l d J

. R. in

Feb ru ary 2 0 20

. In t h e i n t erv i ew wi t h M

. R., t h e ch il d des cri b ed an d d em o n s t rat ed to

W el l s h o w t he Ap p e l l a n t h a d p l aced h er i n a h ead lo ck

. M

. R. h ad al s o h eard h er

p aren t s arg u i n g freq u en t l y

. In J

. R.’ s i n terv i ew, h e t o l d W el l s t h at h e h ad al s o h eard

h i s p aren t s f

r e q u en t l y arg u i n g

. W h i le J

. R. n ev er “ d i rect l y wi t n es s ed ” an y p h y s i cal

ab u se, h e h ad s een b ru is es o n h i s m o t h er’ s arm , an d h is m o t her h ad t o ld h i m t h at t h e

Ap p el l an t p h y si cal l y ab u sed h er. J

. R. t ol d W el l s t h at wh en t hes e i n ci d en t s occu rred

i n t h e h o m e, he wo u l d p ut h i s s i b l i n g s i n h i s bed ro o m , l o ck th e d o o r, an d s it o u t s i d e

t h e b ed ro o m t o m ak e s u re h i s si b l i n g s were s afe. W el l s t es t i fi ed t hat

, al t ho u g h t h e

ch i l d ren d i d n o t s p e c i fi cal l y s t at e i t

, t h e ch i l d ren h ad “ s o m e fear” du ri n g t h es e

arg u m en t s b et ween t h e Ap p el l an t an d t h e m ot h er.

Th e m o th er t es t i fi ed th at s h e an d th e Ap p el l an t had b een to g et h er fo r 1 7 y ears ,

an d th at s h e h ad ex peri en ced d o m e s t i c v i o l en ce d u ri ng t hat t i m e. Th e d o m es t i c

3v i o l en ce o ccu rred m ore o ft en w i t h d ru g u s e. Sh e h ad w i t nes s ed t h e Ap p el l an t u s e

m ari ju an a a n d m et h am

p h et am i n e wi t h i n t he p ri o r s i x m o n t h s

. W h il e th e m o t h er

t es t i fi ed t h at s h e h ad n ev er b een h i t b y t h e Ap p el l an t

, t h e Ap p el l an t h ad s o m et i m es

p h y s i cal l y res trai ned h er d u ri n g t h ei r arg u m en t s

. Th e m ot h er w a s f e a r fu l o f t h e

Ap p el l an t

, an d s h e t es t i fi ed t h at t h e ch i l dren h ad t o l d h er t h ey were t rau m at i zed by

wi t n es s i n g t h es e n u m ero u s al t ercat i o n s

.

J

. R., t h e 1 4 -y ear-o ld

, t es t i fi ed t h at h e an d t he o t her ch i l d ren h ad wi t n es s ed h i s

p aren t s y el l i n g , “ cu ss [i ng ,] ” an d “ try [i n g ] t o s ay th e m o st h u rt fu l t hi n gs t o each o t h er

t o g et u n d er each o t h er’ s s k i n

. ” Du ri n g t h es e i n ci d en t s , h e wo u ld t ak e t h e y o u n g er

ch i l d ren away t o “ [t ] o pro tect t h em fro m s eei n g t h e th i n g s [h e’ d ] s een .” J

. R. t es t i fi ed

t h at h e was n o t s cared o f t h es e i n ci d en t s , b u t t h ey wo u l d “ freak [h i m ] o u t” an d h e was

t rau m at i zed b y t h em

. J

. R. n ev er wi t n es s ed p h y s i cal ab u s e, b u t h e d i d l at er s ee

b ru i s i n g o n h i s m o t h er an d t h e Ap p el l a n t

. J

. R. co u ld t el l wh en t h e Ap pel l an t was

u s i n g d ru g s b ecau s e t h e Ap p el l an t act ed i rri t ab l e an d di s t an t

. J

. R. had l as t s een t h e

Ap p el l an t act t h is way

i n J an u ary

2 0 2 0

.

As h l ey J o h n s o n , th e DFCS cas e wo rk er fo r t h e ch il d ren , t es ti fi ed t h at s h e

wi t n es s ed t h e Ap p el l an t u nd er t h e i n fl u en ce o f m et h am p h et am i n e i n Feb ru ary 2 0 2 0.

J o h n so n req u es t ed a d ru g s creen , b u t t he Ap p el l an t refu s ed t o co m p l y

.

4In May 2 0 2 0

, t h e co u rt en t ered an o rd er o f ad ju d i cat i on fi n di n g t h e ch i l d ren to

b e dep en d en t

. Th e co u r t f o u n d t h at : t h e ch i l d ren h ad b een ab u s ed o r n eg l ect ed an d

were in need o f pro tect i o n b y t h e co u rt ; act s o f d o m es t i c v i o l en ce were co m m i t t ed in

t h e p res en ce of t h e ch i l d ren , wh o were ab le to hear o r see t h e ev en t s ; t h e o ld es t ch i ld

h ad t o care fo r h i s si b l i n gs du ri n g t h es e i n ci d en t s ; t h e m o th er an d t h e Ap p el l an t h ad

i n ap p ro p ri at e res p o n s es t o d om es t i c v i o l en ce an d fai l ed t o p ro t ect t h e ch i l d ren fro m

ab u se; t h e ch i l dren rem ai n ed i n a s t at e o f d ep en d en cy d ue t o t he d o m es t i c v i o l en ce;

an d t h e m o t h er’ s an d t he Ap p el l an t ’ s d ru g u s e ad v ers el y affect ed t h e ch i l d ren

. Th i s

ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

On ap peal fro m an o rd er fi n d i n g a ch i ld t o b e a d ep en den t ch i ld

,

we rev i ew t h e ju v en i l e co u rt ’ s fi n d in g o f d ep en d en cy i n t he l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab le t o t h e l o wer co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t t o d et erm i n e wh et her an y

rat i o n al tri er of fact co u l d h av e fo u n d b y cl ear an d co n vi n ci n g ev i d en ce

t h at t h e ch il d i s d ep en d en t

. In m ak in g t hi s d et erm i n at i o n w e n ei t h er

wei g h t h e ev i d en ce no r ju d g e t h e cred i bi l i t y o f t h e wi tn es s es , b ut i n s tead

d efer t o t h e fact u al fi nd i n g s m ad e b y t h e j u v en i l e co u rt

, b eari n g i n m i n d

t h at t h e ju ven i l e co u rt ’ s p ri m ary res p o n si b i l i t y is to co n s id er an d p ro t ect

t h e wel fare o f a ch i l d wh o s e wel l -b ei n g i s t h reat en ed

. 2

W i th t h es e g u i d i n g pri n ci p l es i n m i n d

, we n o w t u rn t o t he Ap p el l an t ’ s cl ai m s o f erro r.

2 In t h e In t er es t o

f R

. D

. , 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 59 (1 ) (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed ).

51

. Th e Ap p el l an t arg u es t h at t here was n o ev id en ce t hat act s o f fam i ly v i o l en ce

were co m m i tt ed i n t h e ch il d ren ’ s p res en ce. W e d i s ag ree.

A d ep en d en t c h i l d i s d e fi n ed

, i n rel ev an t p art

, as a ch il d wh o “ [h ] as b een

ab u sed o r n eg lect ed an d is i n n eed o f t h e p ro t ect io n o f th e co u rt [.] ” 3 “ N eg l ect ” i s

d efi n ed in p art as “ [t ] he fai l u re t o p ro v i d e p ro p er p aren t al care o r co nt ro l

, s ub s i s t en ce,

ed u cat i o n as req ui red b y l aw, o r o t h er care o r co nt ro l n eces s ary fo r a ch i l d ’ s ph y s i cal

,

m en t al , o r em o t i o nal h eal t h o r m o ral s [.] ” 4 “ Ab u s e” m ean s:

(A) [a] n y n o n acci d en tal p h y s i cal i n ju ry o r p h ys ical i n

ju ry wh ich i s

i n co ns is t en t wi t h t h e ex p l an at i o n g iv en fo r i t s u ffered b y a ch i l d as th e

res u lt o f t he act s or o m i s s i o n s o f a p ers o n res p o n si b l e fo r t h e care o f a

ch i l d ; (B) [e] m o t i o n al ab u s e; (C) [s ] ex ual ab u s e o r s ex u al ex pl o i t at i o n ; (D) [p ] ren at al ab u se; o r (E) [t ] h e co m m i s s i o n of an act o f f

a m i l y

v i o l en ce as d efi ned i n Co d e Sect i o n 1 9 -1 3 -1 i n t h e p res en ce o f a ch i l d

. 5

An act o f fam i ly v i o l en ce i n cl u des

, as rel ev an t h ere, an y fel on y or t he co m m i s s i o n o f

t h e offen s es o f b at t ery , s i m p l e b at tery

, as s au l t

, or s i m p l e a s s au l t

. 6 An act o f fam i l y

3 OCGA § 1 5 -1 1-2 (2 2 ) (A).

4 OCGA § 1 5 -1 1-2 (4 8 ) (A).

5 OCGA § 1 5 -1 1-2 (2 ).

6 See OCGA § 1 9 -1 3 -1

.

6v i o l en ce i s d o n e i n t he “ p res en ce o f a ch il d [ ] ” i f t he ch i l d i s “ p h y s ical l y p res en t o r

ab l e t o see o r h ear.” 7 Fi n al l y , “ th e reco rd m u s t co n t ai n ev i d e n c e o f p res en t

d ep en d en cy , n o t m erel y

p as t o r p o t en t i al fu t ure d ep en den cy .” 8

In t h i s cas e, g i v en t h e st an d ard o f r e v i e w o n ap p eal

, 9 t h ere w as su ffi ci en t

ev i d en ce fo r th e t ri al co u rt t o d et erm i n e t h at fam i ly v i o l en ce h ad b een co m m i t t ed in

t h e pres en ce of t h e ch i l d ren

. Th e ev i d en ce s h o wed th at t h e ch il d ren h eard t h e

arg u m en t s b et w een t h e Ap p el l an t an d th e m o t h er, an d s aw t h e b ru is i n g o n b o th

p aren t s i n t h e aft erm at h o f th es e arg u m en t s

. A t t h e v ery l eas t

, t hi s ev i d en ce was

s u ffi ci en t t o s h o w t h at t h e ch i l dren h eard t hes e i n ci d en t s o f fam i l y v i o len ce. 1 0

Ap p el l an t ’ s ci t at i o n t o In t h e In t er es t o f K. D. 1 1 i s u n av ai l i n g

. In t h at cas e, t h e

fat h er co m

m i t ted an act o f ag g rav at ed as s au l t ag ai ns t t h e m o t h er wh en h e t h reat en ed

h er an d p o i n ted a gu n at h er o u t s i d e t h ei r ho m e. 1 2 W e h el d t hat t here was in su ffi ci en t

7 OCGA § 1 5 -1 1-2 (2 ) (E).

8 In t h e In t er es t

o f H. B. , 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p. 1 6 3, 1 6 5 (1 ) (8 1 6 SE2 d 3 1 3 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

9 See In t h e In t er es t o

f R. D. , 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p . at 2 59 (1 ).

1 0 See OCGA § 15 -1 1 -2 (2 ) (E).

1 1 3 4 4 Ga. Ap p . 4 2 3 (8 1 0 SE2 d 1 9 3 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

1 2 Id . at 42 6

.

7ev i d en ce o f dep en d en cy b ecau s e t h e ch i l d ren were as l eep i n s i d e t h e h o us e an d t h ere

was “ n o ev i d en ce t h at a n y o f t h e ch il d ren s aw o r h eard t h e ex ch an g e b et ween t h ei r

m o th er an d fat h er.” 1 3 Here, b y co n tras t

, t he ch i l d ren h eard t he arg u m en t s b et w een t h e

p aren t s an d l at er s aw b ru i s i n g o n b o t h p aren t s

. 1 4

Th e Ap p el l an t al s o co n t en d s t h at th ere was n o ev i d en ce o f p res en t d ep en d en cy

b ecau s e t h e reco rd s h o wed th at t h e Ap p el l an t an d t he m ot h er arg u ed on l y wh en t h ey

res i ded t o g et her, an d t h ey d i d no t res i d e t o g et h er at th e t i m e o f t h e h eari n g

. Th e t ri al

c o u r t fo u n d t h at “ [d ] es p it e t h e [m ] o th er an d [Ap p el l an t ] p res en t l y l i v i n g ap art

, t h e

n at u re an d h i s t o ry

o f t h ei r rel at i o n s hi p req u i re[d ] th e Co u rt t o fi n d t h at t h e ch i l d ren

r e m a i n [ed ] i n a cu rren t s tat e o f d ep en d en cy d u e t o d o m es t i c v i o l en ce b et ween t h e

p art i es [.] ” A t t ri al

, th e m ot her t es t i fi ed t h at s h e d i v o rced t h e Ap p el l an t i n 2 0 0 9 b ut

co n t i n u e d t o res i d e wi t h h i m u n t i l 2 02 0

. Al t h o u gh t h e m o t h er t es t i fi ed t h at s h e l eft

t h e res i d en ce m o s t recen t l y i n J an u ary 2 02 0

, s h e co n t i n ued t o s ee t h e Ap p el l an t an d

1 3 Id . at 42 7 (1 ).

1 4 Cf. In t h e In t er es t o

f M. S

. , 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 49

, 2 60 -2 6 1 (8 3 4 SE2 d 3 4 3 ) (2 0 1 9) (rev ers in g t he t ri al c o u r t ’ s d ep en den cy d et erm i n at i on wh ere t h ere was “ n o

ev i d en ce t h at [t h e ch i l d] was ev er p res en t fo r, wi t n es s ed

, o r h eard an y o f t h e al l eg ed
i n s t an ces o f d o m es t i c v i o l en ce[ ] ”).

8at o n e p o i n t res i d ed wi t h h im aft e r t h i s d at e. Gi v en t h i s ev i den ce an d th e freq u en t

d i s co rd bet ween t h e p aren t s , t h e t ri al co u rt was au t h ori zed t o fi n d a p res en t

d ep en d en cy

ex i s t ed an d t hat t he d ep en d en cy was l i k el y

t o co n ti n u e. 1 5

2

. Th e Ap p el lan t arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fi n d i n g th at h e had a cu rren t

d ru g p ro b l em

. He co n t en d s th at ev i d en ce t h at he u s ed d r ug s i n t h e p as t was n ot

ev i d en ce h e was u s in g d ru g s at t h e t i m e o f t he heari ng i n A p ri l 2 0 2 0

. W e d i s cern n o

rev ers i bl e erro r.

Sev eral wi t n es s es t es t i fi ed as t o t h e Ap p el l an t ’ s recen t d ru g us e. J

. R. t es t i fi ed

t h at t h e Ap p el lan t ’ s b eh av i o r i n J an u ary 20 2 0 was co n s i s t en t w i t h u s i n g d ru g s

. Th e

m o th er t es t i fi ed t hat t h e Ap p el l an t h ad co n s u m ed m ari ju an a an d m et h am

p h et am i n e

i n th e prev i o u s s i x m on t h s . J o hn s o n wi tn es s ed th e Ap p el l an t u nd er t h e i n fl u en ce o f

m et h am p h et am i ne in Feb ru ary 2 0 2 0

. Fi n a l l y, wh en J o h n so n req u es ted t h at t h e

Ap p el l an t u n d erg o a d ru g screen , h e refu s ed

. Th i s ev i den ce s up p o rt ed t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

1 5 S e e I n t h e In t er es t o

f S. N.

, 2 9 1 Ga. A p p

. 62 8

, 6 3 2 (1 ) (a) (6 6 2 SE2 d 3 8 1 ) (2 0 0 8) (ju v en i le co u rt m ay fi nd “ t h at t he p aren t s’ co n d u ct o ver t h e y ears was a b et t er
p red i ct o r o f t h ei r f

u t u re co n d u ct t h an a few m o n t h s o f p art i al s t ab il i t y ”); In t h e In t er es t o f J. B

. M.

, 2 84 Ga. Ap p

. 4 8 0

, 4 8 5 (1 ) (6 4 4 SE2 d 31 7 ) (2 00 7 ) (ju v en i l e co u rt

can co n s id er p aren t ’ s p as t i n ab i l i t y t o rem ed y ab u se as ev i d en ce t h at d ep en d en cy i s l i kel y to co n ti n u e). Bu t s ee In t he In t er es t o f M. S

. , 3 5 2 Ga. A p p

. at 2 6 0 (n o ev i d en ce

o f p res en t dep en d en cy b as ed o n fam i l y v io len ce wh ere t h e paren t s n o l o n g er l i v ed

t o g et h er, ev en th ou g h t hey li v ed n ex t d o or t o each o t h er, rem ai ned fri en d s , an d

co n si d ered en t eri ng i n to a ro m an t i c rel at i o n s h i p ag ai n i n t h e fu tu re).

9fi nd i ng t h a t

, at t h e t i m e of t h e h eari n g, t h e A p p el l an t h ad a cu rren t d ru g ab u s e

p ro b lem

. 1 6

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, P. J., a n d

Br o wn
, J., co n cu r

.

1 6 See In th e In t er es t o

f S

. N.

, 2 91 G a. Ap p. 6 2 8

, 6 32 (6 6 2 S E 2 d 3 8 1 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (i n a p aren t al t erm i n at i o n act i o n , ev i d en ce sh o w i n g th e m o t h er h ad n o t co n s i s t en t l y

s u b m i t t ed t o d ru g s creen s , t h e m o s t recen t d ru g s creen was p o s i t i v e fo r co cai n e, an d

t h e m o t h er’ s ad m i s s i o n t h at s he u s ed m et ham p het am i n e i n t h e p rev i o u s y ear was

s u ffi ci en t ev i den ce of th e m o t her’ s o n go i n g dru g p ro b l em s ); cf. In t h e In ter es t o f G.

R. B.

, 3 3 0 G a. Ap p

. 69 3

, 7 0 1 -7 0 2 (7 6 9 SE2 d 1 1 9 ) (2 0 1 5) (n o cl ear an d co n v i n ci n g

ev i d en ce o f p res en t d ep ri v at i on wh ere fat h er h ad pas s ed s ev eral recen t d ru g s creen s

an d i n di cat ed a wi l l i ng n es s t o u n d erg o ran do m d ru g t es t s ).

10