Case Name: Laurian Anne Rauen SPANKIE, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1987-03-26
Citations: 505 So. 2d 1357
Docket Number: No. 86-1049
Parties: Laurian Anne Rauen SPANKIE, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellee.
Judges: UPCHURCH, C.J., and SHARP, J., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 505
Pages: 1357–1361

Head Matter:
Laurian Anne Rauen SPANKIE, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Appellee.
No. 86-1049.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
March 26, 1987.
Rehearing Denied May 4, 1987.
Joe B. Weeks, Orlando, for appellant.
Timothy A. Straus, Orlando, for appellee Dept, of Health & Rehabilitative Services.
Donald R. West, Longwood, for appellee guardian ad litem.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Laurian Spankie appeals a final judgment and order permanently committing her daughter to the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services for adoption. The sole question presented is whether the evidence is sufficient to support the severance of parental rights.
The Florida Supreme Court has recently held that the failure to comply with a performance agreement is not by itself a sufficient legal basis for permanently terminating a parent's fundamental right to the custody of his or her children. In the Interest of R.W., 495 So.2d 133 (Fla.1986). Permanent termination of parental rights must be based on a showing of neglect, abuse or abandonment by clear and convincing evidence. Id.; Darkes v. Dept, of Health and Rehab. Services, 495 So.2d 873 (Fla. 5th DCA 1986); § 39.41(l)(f)(3)(a), Fla. Stat. (1985). In In the Interest of J.L.P., 416 So.2d 1250 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982), the court held that neglect or abuse may be established prospectively; that is, parental rights may be terminated based on clear and convincing evidence that the child is or will be neglected or abused.
The petition here alleged that the mother had not complied with the performance agreement entered into December 10, 1984 between herself and HRS. It also alleged that but for the efforts of HRS, the child would be at risk for abuse, abandonment and/or neglect and that psychological counseling had proven to be fruitless. HRS also alleged that it was in the best interest of the child that she be permanently committed for subsequent adoption.
The record reflects that the child, who was born in 1972, is a chronically abused and battered child. The father is deceased, having been shot and killed by the mother (the shooting was ruled accidental). The mother concedes a long history of abuse beginning when the child was six months old. This abuse has consisted of malnourishment, whippings, fractures of the child's leg, black eyes and numerous bruises. The mother raises dogs and travels frequently to show them. The child often smelled of dog feces, was dressed inappropriately (e.g., sundresses in the winter), was unaware of basic hygenic practices (e.g., daily washing) and was left alone all night on at least one occasion. There was also evidence of unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the mother's home and that she locked the child in her room and nailed boards over her window.
Between 1975 and 1982, the child remained with the mother under protective supervision. Conditions did not improve and in September 1983, the child was placed with a foster family. According to her guardian ad litem at the time, Judy Flanagan, the child seemed happy and put on some weight. The child was then transferred to a temporary facility where her visits with her mother were supervised because it was felt that the mother incited the child to misbehave. The child was again moved to another foster home for five to six months during which time her mother never visited. The child told Ms. Flanagan that her mother instructed her not to cooperate with HRS and to put a curse on the foster family. The child has been placed in at least a half dozen homes or facilities over the past few years.
The performance agreement required the mother to attend individual and group therapy, participate in family therapy and improve the unsanitary and unsafe living conditions in the home. At the time of the hearing, the court visited the home and found the home still cluttered and unsanitary. The mother was described by a psychologist as angry, hostile, impulsive, aggressive and was diagnosed by him as a passive-aggressive personality. Despite the recommendation of the therapist called by the mother, she stated she would continue to raise her dogs as before.
The guardian ad litem stated that the child was very "adoptable" and recommended permanent placement. Dr. Mara, a child psychologist, testified there was no relationship building with the mother and she could not recommend placement with her. While the child, now age fourteen, expressed a desire to live with her mother and denies any abuse, Dr. Mara testified that denial of abuse and a desire to be with the abusive parent is a characteristic of the "battered child" syndrome.
It is clear that the court did not terminate parental rights solely on the mother's failure to comply with the performance agreement but rather based it on a history of physical and emotional abuse with little prospect for improvement. The fact that the mother has consistently denied that any abuse has taken place and is unwilling to make any adjustments in her life was certainly considered by the court in determining whether any further counseling would be beneficial or productive.
AFFIRMED.
UPCHURCH, C.J., and SHARP, J., concur.
COWART, J., dissents with opinion.
. The dissent sets out the relevant portions of the amended petition. Paragraph 6 clearly alleges that the mother's prior care of the child demonstrated that the child had been abused and neglected by the mother. The sufficiency of that allegation as the basis for trial of those issues has never been raised by any party at trial or on appeal and thus has been raised only by the dissent. As we have previously held, this court does not determine issues not raised on appeal. See In Re K.A.F., 442 So.2d 365 (Fla. 5th DCA 1983).