Court Opinion

ID: 9758106
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 23:11:58.622659+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:47.071152
License: Public Domain

HESTER, Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent. My review of the record leads me to conclude that in terminating the parental rights of appellant, the court below did not abuse its discretion, did not *72commit an error of law and there was overwhelming competent and adequate evidentiary support for its findings. April was born September 14, 1979. She was but 32 days old when she was admitted into the hospital suffering from extreme neglect. She has been in foster care ever since. Appellant is schizophrenic. She will never be normal, and the illness will affect parenting to the extent the child could become psychotic. At the time of the hearing, she had stabilized but would never improve further and was still unable to properly care for April. Schizophrenia leaves a severe disability. Appellant has been accorded every possible opportunity to acquire the parenting skills required to raise an active, normal child such as April. Not only is she unable to take care of April, she has difficulty in taking care of herself.
By enacting 23 Pa.C.S.A. § 2511(b), the Legislature has mandated that in terminating the rights of a parent the court shall give primary consideration to the needs and Welfare of the child. April is now 5 years old. If she is to have any opportunity to lead a normal life in a normal environment, the parental rights of Appellant must be terminated. I would affirm the action of the court below.