Case Name: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellant, v. The LASKY BABY, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1982-04-07
Citations: 416 So. 2d 1148
Docket Number: No. AJ-58
Parties: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellant, v. The LASKY BABY, Appellee.
Judges: ROBERT P. SMITH, Jr., C. J., and McCORD and BOOTH, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 416
Pages: 1148–1149

Head Matter:
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellant, v. The LASKY BABY, Appellee.
No. AJ-58.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
April 7, 1982.
Rehearing Denied July 2, 1982.
Jon W. Searcy, Dist. One Legal Counsel, Dept, of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Pensacola, for appellant.
Siegfried F. Kessler of Smith, Grimsley, Remington, Kessler & Simpson, Fort Walton, for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) seeks review of an interlocutory order denying its motion to vacate a previously entered order awarding Mr. and Mrs. Henschel temporary custody of a premature infant. HRS seeks temporary custody and delivery of the infant to the Department.
We consider the order entered on August 4, 1981 an order for the temporary custody of the child rather than a placement for adoption. Because that order is an accomplished fact which cannot be undone without harm to the child and given the peculiar circumstances of the case, we affirm, although we must disapprove of the procedure followed. HRS is equipped to effectively respond to the situation which arose and should have been consulted at the outstart.
The trial court's order required the Hen-schels to institute adoption proceedings, and there is indication in the record that a petition has been filed which remains to be processed by HRS. An investigation should be done as expeditiously as possible under the assumption that the Henschels have submitted themselves and the child to the continuing jurisdiction of the Florida courts and to the supervision of HRS.
ROBERT P. SMITH, Jr., C. J., and McCORD and BOOTH, JJ., concur.