Opinion ID: 2548772
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Health and Safety of Child

Text: [¶ 29] The third element of § 14-2-309(a)(iii) requires DFS to prove that returning KLS to Father's custody would seriously jeopardize her health and safety. Pam Emerson, director of Sheridan County Court-Appointed Special Advocates, testified that every time KLS was exposed to domestic violence, her safety was compromised. She testified: Q: In what way was her safety compromised, then, by the alleged exposure to domestic violence? A: In domestic violence situations, children's safety is compromised by parents that are out of control, by parents who are exhibiting anger physically. KLS' physical safety could be compromised by that. Certainly her emotional safety is compromised. ... Q: When you say her physical safety could be compromised, what do you mean? The possibility exists that a shoe might come flying out of the melee? A: Absolutely. That's not uncommon. We have  I read an affidavit for the Family Violence Protection Order that we supervised visitation on where [Mother] indicated that she was sitting in a chair while [Father] was choking her and KLS was sitting on her lap. And those are the kinds of situations where a child's physical safety can be compromised. [¶ 30] Testimony from Nelinda Dahmke, the DFS caseworker in charge of KLS' case, demonstrated that KLS would not be safe if returned to Father. She stated: The risk of abuse or neglect, future harm to the child have not been reduced; and the position the department took was it was not safe for the child's return to these caretakers. That decision was made in consultation with, again, my supervisor, CASA advocate, and then subsequent meetings, including contact with Mr. Tate, you, and Mr. Flaharty. [¶ 31] Father's lifestyle continued to be unstable despite DFS' efforts to assist him in developing the skills necessary to be an adequate parent. As evidenced by testimony iterated above, clear and convincing evidence existed that KLS's health and safety would be in jeopardy if KLS were returned to Father's custody.