Opinion ID: 1366408
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: children's health and safety

Text: Finally, we consider whether the children's health and safety would be seriously jeopardized by returning them to ZLW. Mr. Clark testified that, based upon his expertise and experience with ZLW, he was concerned about ZLW's ability to control her impulses. He believes she would harm the children when she lost control, and he believes ZLW is still likely to become involved with men whom she will allow to victimize her. He worries about what might happen to the children because of ZLW's poor choice of men partners, both in terms of the mental harm to the children in witnessing the victimization of their mother and the physical harm to the children at the hands of such men. Dr. Morrill, based upon his expertise and experience with ZLW, shares Mr. Clark's opinion. Bruce L. Andrews, a family and child therapist at Northern Wyoming Mental Health Center in Sheridan, Wyoming, based upon his expertise and experience with JSN, testified that a very volatile or dangerous situation would exist if the children were returned to ZLW, particularly with regard to RJP and JSN. He would expect to see harmful confrontations between ZLW and RJP. In his view, ZLW is so emotionally involved in defending herself, she would find it difficult to protect her children from her men friends or from her own anger resulting from her frustrations created by her children's needs. According to Mr. Andrews, these children have had a lifetime of dysfunctional role modeling, and if it continues, the result will be a protracted dysfunctional learning period for all the children. Mrs. Lynn Y. Carroll, also a family and child therapist at the mental health center, agreed with Mr. Andrews. In light of her expertise and experience with RJP, Mrs. Carroll is concerned about RJP's safety if she were to be returned to ZLW. She stated that RJP is pretty and attractive and would be very vulnerable in view of ZLW's demonstrated pattern of associating with unstable men. In Mrs. Carroll's opinion, these children have suffered serious developmental delays which would continue if they returned to ZLW. We conclude that the testimony provides clear and convincing evidence in support of the district court's finding that the children's health and safety would be seriously jeopardized by their return to ZLW. As a result of our strict scrutiny in reviewing the evidence considered by the district court in its application of the relevant provisions of the parental-rights termination statute, we hold the evidence clearly and convincingly established that the state's compelling interest in protecting the welfare of these four children can be met only by terminating ZLW's parental rights to each child. The judgment of the district court is affirmed. URBIGKIT, J., files a specially concurring opinion.