Opinion ID: 1316607
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: failure to remedy conditions in the home

Text: The family court found that the children had been out of the home for six months and appellant had not remedied the conditions which caused the removal. See S.C.Code Ann. § 20-7-1572(2). Appellant contends the record does not support such a finding. In reaching its conclusions, the family court pointed to the repeated efforts of DSS and the multiple opportunities appellant had to obtain mental health counseling and comply with treatment plans. DSS developed at least a dozen treatment plans and the primary goal from 1991 to 1993 was to reunite the family. But appellant repeatedly refused to sign treatment plans, attend counseling to address her personality disorder, pay support, or even sign release forms for DSS to obtain information from the mental health professionals who examined her. The record shows that appellant refused to acknowledge she had any problems, but instead blamed everyone in sight. She was twice held in contempt for refusing to comply with treatment plans. She believed law enforcement, DSS, school officials, the family court, the guardian ad litem, and the mental health professionals all were engaged in a continuing conspiracy to steal her children and possibly sell them on the black market. Appellant testified the April 1991 incident involving Anthony was nothing more than a major misunderstanding, and denied her children were ever abused in any way. Rockwell, appellant's husband, also testified at length about the alleged conspiracy. In one bizarre example, appellant accused law enforcement and DSS officials of taking her children out of school to go on a train ride and to a state park. An investigation revealed there were no trains anywhere in the area where she allegedly saw it, and one alleged participant in the outing was in prison at the time. The numerous allegations against law enforcement eventually prompted the Fairfield County sheriff to turn the entire case over to the State Law Enforcement Division. We conclude that clear and convincing evidence supports the family court's decision to terminate appellant's parental rights on this ground. See South Carolina Dep't of Social Services v. Broome, supra (affirming decision to terminate rights of mother who suffered from a chronic mental condition where mother failed to visit or support the child).