Case Name: Otis M. VICKSON, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1991-03-07
Citations: 578 So. 2d 737
Docket Number: No. 90-766
Parties: Otis M. VICKSON, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellee.
Judges: SCHWARTZ, A.R., Associate Judge, concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 578
Pages: 737–738

Head Matter:
Otis M. VICKSON, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellee.
No. 90-766.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
March 7, 1991.
Rehearings Denied May 3, 1991.
Harry H. Morall of Morall and Carey, P.A., Orlando, for appellant.
Timothy A. Straus of Moyer & Straus, Longwood, for appellee.

Opinion:
COWART, Judge.
This is an appeal from an order terminating appellant's parental rights towards his son, O.M.V., II. Before permanently severing parental rights, the State must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the parent either abused, neglected, or abandoned his or her child. Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745, 102 S.Ct. 1388, 71 L.Ed.2d 599 (1982); sections 39.464 and 39.467, Florida Statutes (1987). Our review of the record on appeal reveals that the evidence is legally insufficient to terminate appellant's parental rights by reason of abuse, neglect or abandonment. See e.g., K.H. v. Department of Health & Rehabilitative Services, 527 So.2d 230 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988).
REVERSED.
SCHWARTZ, A.R., Associate Judge, concurs.
COBB, J., dissents without opinion.