1 ... S eeTe x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 2 ... M .C .’ s m o t h e r ’s rig h tw e r e a ls o t e r m in a t e d , b u ts h e d id n o ta p p e a l.



## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 8 - 1 4 6 - CV IN T H E IN T E R E S T O F M .C ., A C HI L D

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FR O M THE 325TH 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 r i al , t he t r i al c our tt er m i nat ed A ppel l antC . C . ’ s par ent al r i g h t s t o h i s s o n M . C. 2 I n t hr ee i ssues, A ppel l antcont ends t hatt he evi dence is f a c t u a llyin s u f f ic ie n tt o s u p p o rtt h e t r ia l c o u r t ’s f in d in g s t h a th e k n o w in g ly pl aced orknow i ngl y al l ow ed M . C . t o r em ai n i n cond i t i ons orsur r oun di ngs t hat e n d a n g e r e d h is p h y s ic a l a n d e m o t io n a l w e ll-b e i n g , t h a tA p p e lla n te n g a g e d in cond uctorknow i ngl y pl aced M . C . w i t h per sons w ho eng aged i n cond uctt hat2

end ang er ed hi s phys i ca l or em ot i ona l w el l - bei ng, an d t hatt he t er m i nat i on oft he p a ren t- c h i l d rel a ti o n sh i p b e tw e e n A p p e l l a n t an d M .C . i s i n M .C .’ s b e st i n tere st. B e c a u s e th e 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 s , w e a ffir m t he t r i al co urt ’ s or deroft er m i nat i on. In hi s sec on d i ssu e, A pp el l an tco nten ds t ha tt he ev i de nc e i s f a c t u a lly i n su ffi c i e n t t o sh o w tha t he en g a g e d i n co n d u c t or k n o w i n g l yp l a c e d M .C . w i th per sons w ho engag ed i n cond uct t hatendang er ed M . C . ’ s physi cal orem ot i onal w e l l -b e i n g . A s w e h a v e e x p l a i n e d i n a s i m i l a r c a s e ,

U nde rs ec t i on 161. 001 ( 1) ( E) oft he Texa s Fam i l y Code, t he t er m “endanger ” m eans t o expose t o l oss ori nj ur y, t o j eopar di ze. A c c o rding l y , w h e n an a l y zi n g a j u ry’s fi n d i n g s p u rsu a n t to subsect i on ( E) , w e m ustdet er m i ne w het hersuff ic ientevi dence exi st s t hatt he endan ger m ent of t he chi l d’ s physi cal w el l - bei ng w as t he di r ectr esul t of t he par ent ’ s conduct, i ncl udi ng act s, om i ssi ons, orf ai l ur es t o act . Term i nat i on un dersect i on 1 61 . 00 1( 1) ( E) m ust be bas ed on m or e t han a si ngl e a ctorom i s s i o n ; a vol unt ar y, d e lib e r a t e , a n d c o n s c io u s c o u r s e o fc o n d u c tb yt h e p a r e n tis r equi r ed. H ow ever , i ti s notnecessar y t hatt he p a re n t’ s conduct be di r ec t ed att he chi l d ort hatt he chi l d a ct ual l y s uf f er i nj ur y. The sp ec i f i c d ang ert o t he chi l d’ s w el l - bei ng m a y b e i nf er r ed f r om par ent al m i scondu ctst andi ng al one. To det er m i ne w het hert er m i nat i on i s necessary, court s m ay l ook t o par ent al con duc t bot h bef or e and af t er t he chi l d ’s b i rt h. F u rt h e r, a fa th e r’ s c o n d u c t p ri o r to th e e sta b l i sh m e n t o f pa tern i ty m ay be con si der ed a s e v i den ce ofan en dan ger i ng c our seof con duc t . Conse que nt l y, sc i ent er i s onl y r equ i r ed unde rs ubs ec t i on ( E) w hen a par entpl aces t h e chi l d w i t h ot her s w ho eng age i n an e n d a n g e ri n g co u rse o f co n d u c t.3 ... InreR.W. , 129 S. W . 3d 732, 738– 39 ( Te x. App . — Fo rtW ort h 2004,

p e t. d e n i e d ) (c i ta ti o n s o m i tte d ). 3

A s a g ene r al r ul e, co nduc tt hats ubj ec t s a c hi l d t o a l i f e o f uncer t ai nt y and i nst abi l i t y endan ger s t he phy si cal and em ot i onal w el l - bei ng ofa chi l d. Dr ug us e a nd i t s ef f ec t on a p ar ent ’ s l i f e a nd hi s abi l i t y t o pa r entm ay es t abl i sh an en d a n g e ri ng c our seof c o n d u c t. 3 T h e e v id e n c e s h o w s t h a tC P S re c e iv e d a re f e r r a l a g a in s tA p p e lla n tin J a n u a ry2 0 0 7 fo r n e g l e c tfu l s u p e rv i s i o n a n d d ru g u s e , a m o n g o th e r th i n g s . A C P S i n v e s ti g a to r v i s i te d th e h o m e a n d s p o k e to M .C ., w h o w a s tw e l v e y e a rs o ld a tt h e t im e o ft r ia l. M .C . d e n ie d a n y p e r s o n a l k n o w le d g e o fd r u g u s e b yh is f a t h e rb u tre p o rt e d w it n e s s i n g d o m e s t ic v io le n c e b e t w e e n A p p e lla n ta n d h is t hen est r anged w i f e N . C . M . C . t ol d t he i nvest i gat ort hathi s f at herhad br oken a door t o get t o N . C . , an d t he i nve st i gat ors aw a cr ac k i n a doorw hi l e a tt he hom e. A tsom e poi nt , M . C . al so r epor t ed t o C PS t hatA ppel l anthad pun ched hol es i n t he w al l s at di f f er enthouses t hatt hey had l i ved i n overt he pastsever al yea r s w hen he w as ang r y at N . C . and t hat A ppe l l ant and N . C . ha d f oughti n t he st r eetonce, and t he pol i ce had com e. M . C . di d not r epor tt hatA ppel l antw as eve rphy si ca l l y vi ol entw i t h a not herpe r so n. Th e d a y a f t e r CP S r e c e i v e d t h e r e f e r r a l a n d i n v e s t i g a t e d t h e hom e, A ppe l l antad m i t t ed t o th e i nve st i gat ort hathe ha d be en us i ng m et ham phetam i ne f ort he pastni ne m onths and had l astus ed4

m et ham phe t am i ne t w o w ee ks ea r l i er . He al so adm i t t ed t o us i ng m et ham phe t am i ne at t he r es i den ce w hi l e M . C . w as s l ee pi ng a s w el l ast o us i ng d r u g s e l s e w h e r e w i t h N. C. C PS r em ove d M .C . fro m t he hom e a f t erA ppe l l ants ubpoe nae d t he i nve st i gat ort o a ppe arathi s di vor ce t r i al . Th e i nve st i gat ort es t i f i ed t hatt he r e m o v a l w a s n e c e s s a r y b e c a u s e A p p e lla n t w o u ld n o t w o r k s e r v ic e s , v o lu n t a r ily pl ace M . C . w i t h ot herf am i l y m em ber s, ort ake dr ug t est s. I n M ay 200 7, Fam i l y C ourt Ser vi ce s ( FCS ) bec am e i nvol ved be ca us e o f t he pen di ng di vor ce ofA ppe l l ant and N . C . A ppe l l antt ookco urt - or der ed dr ug t e s t s i n M a ya n d J u n e , b u tn o ti n t h e f o l l o w i n g f i v e m o n t h s d u r i n g w h i c h F CS w as s t i l l i nvol ved . Hi s M ay 30, 2007 ha i r s a m p l e t es t ed pos i t i ve f or am phetam i nes and m e th am phetam i ne, buthe t est i f i ed t hata l at ert estw as negati ve. A tt r i al , A ppe l l antad m i t t ed t o be i ng a dr ug a ddi ctan d t hatus i ng dr ugs w as r ec kl es s beh avi orf ora par ent . He adm i t t ed t es t i ng po si t i ve f oran d us i ng m et ham phetam i ne af t erC PS r em oved M . C . f r om t he hom e and as r ecent l y as t hr ee- and- a- hal fw eeks bef or e t r i al ; h e al so adm i t t ed t hathe had used m et ham phe t am i ne da i l y a y ea rbe f or e t r i al . He t es t i f i ed t hathe di d not r em em berw her e he us e d d r ugs w hi l e t he case w as pendi ng becau se he had bl ackouts .5

A ppe l l antt es t i fi ed t hathe w as bi pol aran d s eve r el y de pr es se d, t hathe m ade m any t hr eat s ofsui ci de af t erM . C . ’ s r em oval , and t hathe act ual l y had pi l l s ( S e r o q u e l , wh i c h h e l a t e r t e s t i f i e d we r e t o h e l p h i m s l e e p a n d n ot ha ve ni ght t er r or s) in h is h a n d t o t ake because he “j ustw ant ed t o sl eep, sl eep f or eve r ” ata poi ntw i t hi n t he l as t t hr ee m ont hs bef or e t r i al . H e al so t es t i f i ed,

“ I’ v e ju s tf o r g o t t e n w h o I w a s la t e ly . I d o n ’te v e n k n o w w h a t ’s h a p p e n in g in m yl i fe [,]” a n d “ I w a k e u p , I d o n ’t e v e n k n o w w h o I a m . I n e e d h e l p .” A ppel l antadm i t t ed t hathe and N . C . h a d s h o v e d each ot her . H e al so a d m i t t e d t h a th e h a d b r o k e n a d o o ri n t w o t o g e tt o N. C. He t e s t i f i e d t h a tM . C. w as i n a not herr oom att he t i m e butco nce ded t hatM . C . w oul d ha ve hea r d t he a lt e r c a t io n . A p p e lla n t a d m it t e d t h a th e w o u ld a ls o p u n c h h o le s in t h e w a ll w h e n e v e rh e w o u l d g e ta g i t a t e d a n d t h a t h e w o u l d g e ta g i t a t e d w h e n e v e rN. C. t hr eat ened t o ki l l her sel f . H e adm i t t ed t hat t hose behavi or s di d not pr ovi de an a p p r o p r i a t e , s a f e , h e a l t h ye n v i r o n m e n tf o rM . C. A ddi t i ona l l y, an ag gr ava t ed se xua l as sa ul t of a chi l d com pl ai nti nvol vi ng a f if t ee n-yea r - ol d f em al e ha d be en f i l ed ag ai ns t A pp el l an t at t he t i m e of tr ia l, al t hough t he ca seha d notye tbe en su bm i t t ed t o t he gr and j ur y. The C PS casew or kert est i f i ed t hatA ppel l antt ol d hert hat he w as a vi ct i m . . . o f a 15 - year - ol d [ t he com pl ai nant] w ho had r ape d hi m . He st at ed t hats he w as s pen di ng t he ni ght , . . . t hathe w as car i ng f orherand hert w o br ot her s, . . . and t hatw hi l e he w as4 ... S ee T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 1 6 1 .0 0 1 (1 )(E ) (V e rn o n S u p p . 2 0 0 8 ); In

reH. R. M. , 2 0 9 S .W .3 d 1 0 5 , 1 0 8 (T e x . 2 0 0 6 ); I nreC. H. , 89 S. W . 3d 17, 28 (T e x . 2 0 0 2 ).

5 ... S eeT e x . R . A p p . P . 4 7 .1 ; I nreE. M. N. , 221 S. W . 3d 815, 821 ( Tex. A p p .— F o rt W o rth 2 0 0 7 , n o p e t.). 6 as l ee p, sh e had got t en on t op of hi m , f ul l y pen et r at ed hi m se l f , an d t hathe w as dr ea m i ng t hati t w as [ N . C . ] , hi s ex- w i f e, an d t hen he w oke up and r ea l i z ed t hat i tw as n’ t. . . an d r ol l ed herove r , an d he g o t u p . T h is a lle g e d in c id e n to c c u r r e d a f t e rM .C .’ s re m o v a l. A ppl yi ng t he appr opr i at e st andar d ofr evi ew , 4w e hol d t hatt he evi dence i s f ac t ual l y s uf f i ci entt o s h o w t h a tA p p e lla n te n g a g e d in c o n d u c to rk n o w in g ly p l a c e d M .C . w i th p e rs o n s w h o e n g a g e d i n c o n d u c t th a t e n d a n g e re d M .C .’s phys i ca l orem ot i ona l w el l - bei ng. W e t her ef or e ove r r ul e hi s se con d i ss ue and do no tr each hi s f i r sti ssue. 5 In h is t h ir d is s u e , A p p e lla n tc o n t e n d s t h a tt h e e v i d e n c e is f a c t u a lly i n s u fficie n t to s h o w th a t te rm i n a ti o n o f h i s p a re n ta l ri g h ts to M .C . i s i n M .C .’s best i nt er est . I n addi t i on t o t he above evi dence, t he evi dence att r i al show ed t hatA ppel l a n t lo v e d hi s son and had ensur ed hi s son’ s school at t endan ce bef or e t he r em ova l . Af t ert he r em ova l , A ppe l l ant r egu l ar l y vi si t ed w i t h hi s so n and co m pl et ed so m e o ft he se r vi ce s l i st ed i n t he f am i l y s ervi ce pl an— par ent i ng cl asses , a psychol ogi cal eval uat i on, and a dr ug/ al coho l asses sm ent . H e r ef used7

“f urt hersexual asses sm ent ” ( a pl et hysm ogr aph) absent cour t or der , at t ended so m e co u n se l i n g b u t did n o t co m p l e te i t, an d d i d n o t co m p l e te d rug tr e a tm e n t, al t hou gh he t est i f i ed t hat he had a f ew days ofi npati entcar e and had att ended N A m ee t i ngs . Ev en t hough he ha d t ol d CPS w hi l e t he ca se w as pen di ng ( and he w as em pl oye d) t hathe m adet oo m uch m one y to g e t out pat i entdr ug t r eat m ent , att r i al , af t erhe had l ost h is j ob, he t est i f i ed t hathe w ant ed o u t p a t ie n td r u g t r e a t m e n t a n d w o u ld g o t o in p a t ie n tt r e a t m e n tift h e S t a t e p a id fo r i t. A ppe l l antt es t i f i ed t hathe ne ede d a ddi t i ona l he l p i n re s p o n set o t he S t at e’ s quest i on r egar di ng hi s abi l i t y t o m eetM . C . ’ s dai l y needs. A tt h e t im e o f t r ia l, M .C . w a s d o in g w e ll in a f o s t e rh o m e a n d p a s s in g h is cl as se s i n s cho ol . He w as se ei ng a t her api st w ee kl y and t ak i ng m edi ca t i on f or A D H D an d ang er m ana gem ent i ss ues . M . C . w ant ed t o l i ve w i t h hi s f at her , but hi s ad l i t em r epo rt ed t hat M . C . “k now s hi s dad has pr obl em s, and he ca n’ tl i ve w i t h hi m , and he w ant ed t o l i ve w i t h hi s [ st epm ot her , N . C . ] . ” N . C . had vi si t ed M . C . r egu l ar l y du r i ng t he pen den cy of t he t er m i nat i on ca se and w as pl ann i ng t o getherow n apart m ent t he f ol l ow i ng January. Th e Stat e pl anned t o cond uct a h om e s t udy i fan d w hen N . C . gothe row n a part m entan d e val uat e h erf or a d o p t i v e p l a c e m e n t . I f t h a t p l a n f a i l e d , t h e n t h e St a t e p l a n n e d t o p l a c e M . C. i n a dual l i censed hom e w i t h a goal of adop t i on. M . C . ’ s ad l i t em r epor t ed t hat6 ... S eeT e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 1 6 1 .0 0 1 (2 ); H. R. M. , 209 S. W . 3d a t108;

I n reR. R. , 2 0 9 S .W .3 d 1 1 2 , 1 1 6 (T e x . 2 0 0 6 ); C. H. , 89 S . W . 3d a t28.

7 ... Ho l le yv. A da ms , 5 4 4 S .W .2 d 3 6 7 , 3 7 1

– 7 2 (T e x . 1 9 7 6 ). 8 ... S ee T e x . F a m . C o d e A n n . § 2 6 3 .3 0 7 (b ) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 2 ). 8 he i s very br i ghtan d ve r y a dopt abl e. N. C . di d nott es t i f y. A ppl yi ng t he appr opr i at e st andar d ofr evi ew 6and consi der i ng t he Hol ley 7 f ac t ors and t he st at ut or y f ac t or s f orev al 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 M .C . w i th a s a fe e n v i ron m e n t, 8 w e h o ld t h a tt h e e v id e n c e is f ac t ual l y s uf f i ci entt o s upportt he t r i al co urt ’s fi n d i n g t hatt he t er m i nat i on of A p p e lla n t ’s p a r e n t a l r ig h t s is in M .C .’ s b e s t in t e r e s t . W e t h e r e f o r e o v e r r u le A ppel l ant ’ s t hi r d i ssue. H a v i n g h e l d th e e v i d e n c e fa c tu a l l y s u fficie n t to s u p p o rt th e tri a l c o u rt’s f i ndi ngs t hat A ppe l l ant eng age d i n con duc t t hat end ang er ed M . C . ’ s phys i ca l or e m o t io n a l w e ll-b e in g a n d t h a tt h e t e r m in a t io n o f t h e p a r e n t -c h ild re la t io n s h ip bet w een A ppel l antand M . C . i s i n M . C . ’ s besti nt ere s t, w e af f i r m t he t r i al cou rt ’ 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, J. ; CA YC E, C. J. ; an d L I V I N G STO N , J. DEL I VERE D: Nov e m be r26, 2008