Opinion ID: 1171964
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Was E.J.S.'s conduct likely to continue?

Text: The superior court also had to find that E.J.S.'s conduct was likely to continue before it could terminate E.J.S.'s parental rights. AS 47.10.080(c)(3); see also E.A., 623 P.2d at 1213. E.J.S. argues that the superior court failed to make this finding. The superior court did make an explicit finding that E.J.S.'s conduct was likely to continue: [T]he evidence is clear and convincing that you have not taken the necessary steps that you should have taken in order to play that important role as a father in this child's life. I find that the child is a child in need of assistance because of the conduct of your ex-wife and of you and I find that the conduct on your part, even though you now express an interest in the child and the care of the child, that it comes late in the day. And I find that  I believe that it would be conduct that would continue to put her at risk as a child in need of assistance. (Emphasis added.) After reviewing the record, we believe that the trial court's finding that E.J.S.'s conduct was likely to continue was not clearly erroneous. Ms. Gonzales testified that E.J.S.'s conduct was likely to continue. Additionally, the record contains evidence of a battering and violent relationship during the one year that L.B. and L.M.S. lived with E.J.S. More currently, at the time of the termination hearing, E.J.S. was incarcerated for assaulting his girlfriend. [4] Finally, the eight years of abandonment by E.J.S. leads to the conclusion that E.J.S.'s conduct was not an isolated incident unlikely to continue. Cf. Nada A., 660 P.2d at 440.