Opinion ID: 1138488
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the court's decision to return the children was against the overwhelming weight of evidence

Text: DHS relies on testimony adduced from various mental health professionals, social workers, and from Linda herself to establish that the decision to return R.D. and B.D. to Linda's care was unsupported by the record evidence. DHS further cites Interest of D.C. 436 N.W.2d 644 (Iowa Ct. App. 1988), wherein the Iowa Court of Appeals stated that one indication of future parenting skills is past performance of the parent. In the case at bar, DHS submits, nothing has changed about Linda's parenting skills or situation because, in her own words ... nothing was her fault. Linda disagrees, citing as support for her position, her compliance with the service agreement. She argues the traditional standard this Court operates under when reviewing a chancellor's findings, is that such findings will not be reversed unless manifest error is shown, and that standard should apply in this case to affirm the finding that her children should be returned to her. See Vance v. Vance, 582 So.2d 514 (Miss. 1991). This Court has determined that the proper standard to be applied is the best interest of the children, which must guide the chancellor's disposition order. Linda's compliance with the service agreement, in and of itself, is insufficient to warrant a finding that her children should be returned. It is simply one element of proof to be considered. A review of cases in other jurisdictions concerning this issue is indeed helpful. In In the Interest of R.W.H., 447 So.2d 341 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984), the Florida Court of Appeals considered the appeal of a mother whose parental rights were terminated upon a finding that she had abused and neglected her minor child, and that she had not fulfilled the requirements of the performance agreement developed by that state's Health and Rehabilitative Services Department. Affirming the decision of the lower court which the appeals court found to be supported by the record, the appeals court poignantly observed: Our closing thought is an observation about the split decision of our companion court in In the Interest of A.B., 444 So.2d 981 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983)... . The court in that case recognized, as this court did in In the Interest of J.L.P., 416 So.2d 1250 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982) that either neglect or abuse may be proved prospectively. However, we feel our companion court viewed the parental performance agreements . .. as only two dimensional; i.e., if the parent performed, the child is to be returned; and if not, the child is to be committed for adoption. The interest of a child, however, like the Hope Diamond, is multidimensional, and other alternatives, such as long term foster care or independent living must be a consideration. Children are not cards to be placed in slots. Their needs require imaginative flexibility, not slavish categorization. We simply cannot engage in tunnel vision when a child's welfare is at stake; every reasonable option must be available. In the case before this court, the parent did not perform, so we are not faced with consideration of alternatives. Let us hypothesize, however, that notwithstanding complete performance by the parent, objective investigation still revealed substantial reasons not to return the child to the parent. We need not be prisoners of our self-constructed intellectual walls, nor can we be, when a child is involved, just because `a deal's a deal.' The child never signs the performance agreement and the court never sees it until review is sought. An agreement so executed by adults can not fetter the court, whose primary concern must be the child. Id. at 342-43. (emphasis added). Returning to the case at bar, other than testimony from Linda, the great weight of the evidence indicated that the children's best interest was not served in their being returned to Linda D. at this time. It should be kept in mind that unlike many of the decisions reviewed, this appeal did not result from an order finally terminating Linda D.'s, parental rights. We note however, that the record reveals at the May 1993 hearing, a Termination of Parental Rights Petition (TPR) was pending against Linda D. filed by DHS before the Chancery Court of Copiah County. This was even more reason for the chancellor to reconsider his decision as the same chancellor would also ultimately determine the outcome of the TPR Petition. Reviewing the testimony of Linda, her social workers, her mental health counselors, particularly Steve Fisher and Cindy Kinard, and what little information the CASA, Sally Garland, was allowed to offer, it seems clear that almost nothing has changed about Linda's situation or her attitude toward caring for her children since she lost custody. The evidence suggests she was merely jumping through the required hoops, doing everything she thought necessary to have her children returned, while keeping a closed mind to the reasons that they were found to be neglected by her in the first place. Attorney Kitchens, who personally interviewed the children, informed the court the children did not want to return to Linda's home and were afraid of her. The overwhelming weight of the evidence supports continued observation and counseling of and for Linda and foster care for the children. At the very least, more evidence at a proper hearing, with counsel or a guardian ad litem, or both, appointed for the children should be considered before, as Kitchens stated, these kids are sent into the unknown. The weight of the evidence certainly does not support restoring custody to Linda simply because she completed most of DHS's service agreement requirements. Indeed, the agreement itself only provides its successful completion  may result in a recommendation ... for a trial return of the children. This issue is also meritorious. The chancellor was in error.