Opinion ID: 2520807
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: AS 47.10.011(8): substantial risk of mental harm

Text: Alaska Statute 47.10.011(8) provides in part that a child may be found in need of aid if conduct by or conditions created by the parent ... have ... (B) placed the child at substantial risk of mental injury as a result of (i) a pattern of rejecting, terrorizing, ignoring, isolating, or corrupting behavior that would, if continued, result in mental injury. The superior court found that the pattern of domestic violence described above constituted such terrorizing behavior that would, if continued, result in mental injury to [Amanda]. Martin's arguments regarding this subsection are essentially the same ones that he raises above: that Hannah is not a reliable witness, that his acts have never injured Amanda herself, and that his prior acts have not yet placed Amanda at risk. The statute itself directs the court to the question of whether the child would be mentally injured if the behavior is continued, thereby contemplating an analysis of future harm similar to that in subsection .011(6). As discussed above, the trial court's factual findings were amply supported by the record, and we agree that Martin's acts constitute terrorizing behavior. We have previously held that witnessing domestic violence is mentally harmful to children. [20] There was clear and convincing evidence that Martin's acts toward Hannah create a significant risk of mental injury to Amanda if continued.