Court Opinion

ID: 9368027
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-02 18:05:00.059941+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:05.210775
License: Public Domain

NOT DESIGNATED FOR PUBLICATION

                                 STATE OF LOUISIANA

                                   COURT OF APPEAL

                                      FIRST CIRCUIT

                                     NO. 2022 CJ 0947

 STATE OF LOUISIANA IN THE INTEREST OF [ K.G., T.G., AND M.G.]'

                                               Judgment Rendered. •                FEB 0 2 2023

                                          is   4e   3s   x   9s :   de

                                       Appealed from
                                    The Juvenile Court
                      In and for the Parish of East Baton Rouge
                                     State of Louisiana
                                    Case No. JU116127

                    The Honorable Gail Grover, Judge Presiding

Hillar C. Moore, III                                                     Counsel for Appellant
District Attorney                                                        State of Louisiana
Courtney E. Myers
Assistant District Attorney
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Courtney D. Skidmore                                                     Counsel for Appellants
Baton Rouge, Louisiana                                                   K.G., T. G., and M.G.

Teosha Patricia Jones
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Raveen Hills
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Annette Fuller Roach                                                     Counsel for Appellant
Lake Charles, Louisiana                                                  P. G.

Daarina Phillips
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1 The initials of the children are used in order to keep their identities confidential pursuant to
Uniform Rules of Louisiana Courts of Appeal, Rule 5- 2.

   fG              fJ lJj LTJ d Y/'                                          v G
Jeremy Woolard                         Counsel for Appellant
Baton Rouge, Louisiana                 Department of Children &   Family
                                       Services

Ryan Taylor Dahlquist                  Counsel for Appellee
Lafayette, Louisiana                   C.R.

            BEFORE:      THERIOT, CHUTZ, AND HESTER, JJ.

                                   2
THERIOT, J.

       The State of Louisiana (" State") and P. G., the biological father, appeal a

decision by the Juvenile Court of East Baton Rouge Parish wherein the trial court

returned custody of K.G., T.G., and M.G. to C. R., their biological mother. For the

following reasons, we affirm.

                  FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

       On September 25, 2021,     the Department of Children and Family Services

  DCFS")    conducted an investigation involving K.G.,        T.G., M.G., and E. G.

concerning allegations of neglect and lack of adequate supervision. P. G. is the

biological father of K.G., T. G., M.G., and E. G. L. C. is the biological mother of

E. G., and C. R. is the biological mother of K.G., T. G., and M.G.

      The DCFS investigation was based on the findings of the Federal Bureau of

Investigations (" FBI") and the Baton Rouge Police Department (" BRPD"). The

FBI assisted BRPD in conducting Forensic Interviews with three of the children

regarding a report of a missing two-year- old child. During the investigation, it was

learned that L.C. became angry at the two- year-old child and punched the child in

the stomach causing her to fall and hit her head. The child laid down and was later

found unresponsive by P. G. P. G. admitted to disposing of the child' s remains in

Mississippi. On September 26, 2021, P. G. was arrested for Unlawful Disposal of

Remains, Obstruction of Justice, and Second Degree Murder, and on September

30, 2021, L.C. was arrested for Second Degree Murder.

      During its investigation,   DCFS learned that C. R. abandoned her children

about three years prior and her whereabouts were unknown.            Because the father,

P. G., was arrested for Unlawful Disposal of Remains, Obstruction of Justice, and

Second Degree Murder, and because the mother, C. R.,     abandoned the children and

her whereabouts were unknown, DCFS obtained an Instanter Order to have the

children placed in the custody of the State.

                                          3
         The Juvenile Court held a continued custody hearing on September 30, 2021

to determine if K.G., T.G., and M.G. were children in need of care and if continued

custody was necessary as to their biological mother,         C. R.   C. R. was present in

court.    At the continued custody hearing, there was a stipulation between the

parties that K.G., T. G.,   and M.G. were children in need of care due to dependency,

and the Court found that continued custody was necessary for their safety and

protection.   It was learned at the continued custody hearing that C.R. was possibly

a member of an Indian Tribe and that the children could be eligible members.

         On October 5, 2021, the Juvenile Court held a continued custody hearing to

determine if K.G., T. G., and M.G. were children in need of care and if continued

custody was necessary as to their biological father, P. G.    P. G. was present in court.

At that continued custody hearing, there was a stipulation between the parties that

K.G., T. G., and M.G.       were children in need of care due to dependency and

continued custody was necessary for their safety and protection.              The Court

assigned an appearance hearing for November 2, 2021. On November 2, 2021, the

Court informed the parties that the Indian Tribe had been notified.

         On October 28, 2021, the State filed a Child in Need of Care petition

pursuant to Louisiana Children' s Code articles 631 through 645 alleging that K.G.,

T. G., and M.G. were children in need of care due to C. R.' s neglect and her

prolonged absence, which placed the children at substantial risk of imminent harm.

As to P. G., the State alleged that due to his abuse K.G., T.G., and M.G.           were

children in need of care.

         On February 8,     2022,   an adjudication hearing was held in the matter

regarding P. G. Through his counsel of record, P. G. stipulated without admitting

the facts that K.G., T.G., and M.G. were children in need of care.          On May 10,

2022, an adjudication hearing was held in the matter regarding C. R.           C. R. was

present at the hearing via Zoom from Oklahoma. The Juvenile Court found the
children were in need of care.       The disposition hearing was subsequently held on

August 2, 2022. At the disposition hearing, after receiving evidence and testimony,

the Juvenile Court found that custody of the minor children, K.G.,         T.G., and M.G.,

should be returned to their biological mother, C. R.           The Juvenile Court then

suspended the effect of the judgment from September 2, 2022 to September 27,

2022.     It is from this judgment that the State and P. G. appeal.

                              ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR

         The State and P. G.     contend that the Juvenile Court erred in returning

custody of the minor children, K.G., T. G., and M.G., to their biological mother,

C. R.,   because of evidence showing that C. R. could not care for the children.

                               S'T'ANDARD OF REVIEW

         In cases involving the custody of children, the trial court is vested with a

vast amount of discretion. State in Interest of A.S.,       2019- 0248 (   La.App.   1 Cir.

914119), 285 So. 3d 1129, 1140.      It is well settled that an appellate court cannot set

aside a juvenile court' s findings of fact in the absence of manifest error or in the

clearest case of abuse of the trial court' s great discretion. Id.           The two- part

manifest error test considers: 1)    whether there is a reasonable factual basis in the

record for the finding of the trial court;         and 2)   whether the record further

establishes that the finding is not manifestly erroneous. Mart v. Hill, 505 So. 2d

1120, 1127 ( La. 1987).     If a reasonable factual basis exists, an appellate court may

set aside a trial court' s factual finding only if, after reviewing the record in its

entirety, it determines the trial court' s finding was clearly wrong. Lewis v. Fowler,

2018- 0365 ( La.App. 1 Cir. 9124/ 18), 259 So. 3d 364, 367.     Moreover, where factual

findings are based on determinations regarding the credibility of witnesses, the

trier of fact' s findings demand great deference and are virtually never manifestly

erroneous or clearly wrong. Id.

                                             5
                                   DISCUSSION

      Under Louisiana Children' s Code article 678, prior to entering a judgment of

disposition, the court shall conduct a disposition hearing. All parties have the right

to testify, the right to confront and cross- examine adverse witnesses, the right to

present evidence and witnesses, and the right to counsel. La. Ch. C. art. 680( A).

The court shall consider the report of the predisposition investigation, the case

plan, any reports of mental evaluation, and all other evidence offered by the parties

relating to the proper disposition. The court may consider evidence which would

not be admissible at the adjudication hearing. La. Ch.C. art. 680( B).

       In a case in which a child has been adjudicated to be in need of care, the

health, welfare, and safety of the child shall be the paramount concern.   If the child

can safely remain in or return to the custody of the parent, the court shall place the

child in the custody of the parent under terms and conditions deemed to be in the

best interest of the child.   If the child cannot safely remain in or return to the

custody of the parent, the court may 1) order the child into the legal custody of a

suitable relative or other suitable individual on terms and conditions deemed to be

in the best interest of the child; 2)   place the child in the custody of a private or

public institution or agency; 3) commit a child found to have a mental illness to a

public or private institution for persons with mental illness; 4) grant guardianship

of the child to a nonparent; or 5) make such other disposition or combination of the

above dispositions as the court deems to be in the best interest of the child. La.

Ch -C. art. 681( A).

       The court shall impose the least restrictive disposition of the alternatives

enumerated in Article 681 that the court finds is consistent with the circumstances

of the case and the health, welfare, and safety of the child.   If the court determines

that the child cannot safely remain in or return to the custody of the parent, the

court shall place the child in the custody of a suitable relative unless the court has

                                            6
made a specific finding that the placement is not in the best interest of the child.

The court shall give specific written reasons for its findings, which shall be made a

part of the record of the proceeding. La. Ch. C. art. 683.

        If the child is an Indian child as defined by Louisiana Children' s Code

article 116, the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (IOWA) applies in all subsequent

proceedings.2 For example, the court will be required to ensure that proper notice

is given, that active efforts to prevent removal are made, that qualified expert

witnesses on the culture and customs of Indian tribes are appointed, and that the

ICWA standards of evidence are followed in accordance with the strict provisions

of the Act. La. Ch. C. art. 680, Comments -2018. Under Louisiana Children' s Code

and the IOWA, " Indian child" means any unmarried child under eighteen years of

age who is a member of an Indian tribe or who is eligible for membership in an

Indian tribe and is the biological child of a member of an Indian tribe. La. Ch. C.

art. 116( 6. 1);   25 U. S. C. A. § 1903( 4).   The minor children in this case, K. G., T.G.,

and M.G., are under eighteen years of age, are not married, and are members of the

Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, so the ICWA applies. 3

        Pursuant to Louisiana Children' s Code article 103. 1( A), the provisions of

the ICWA and the regulations promulgated thereunder supersede the Children' s

Code whenever the outcome of an involuntary or voluntary proceeding may result

in the removal of an Indian child from a parent under circumstances in which the

parent cannot have the child returned upon demand. Further, child custody

proceedings to which the IOWA and the regulations promulgated thereunder apply

z Pursuant to 25 U. S. C.A. § 1902, the purpose of the ICWA is

        to protect the best interests of Indian children and to promote the stability and
        security of Indian tribes and families by the establishment of minimum Federal
        standards for the removal of Indian children from their families and the placement
        of such children in foster or adoptive homes which will reflect the unique values
        of Indian culture, and by providing for assistance to Indian tribes in the operation
        of child and family service programs.

3 K.G. and T.G. became members of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma on May 16, 2022, and
M.G. became a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma on May 26, 2022.

                                                  7
include a child in need of care proceeding; a certification for adoption proceeding;

a family in need of services proceeding; and a transfer of custody, a surrender for

adoption, and any other voluntary proceeding. La. Ch.C. art. 103. 1( B). Further, 25

C. F. R. § 23. 103, provides that

       a) ICWA includes requirements that apply whenever an Indian child
       is the subject of

        1)    A child -custody proceeding, including:

       i) An involuntary proceeding;

       ii)A voluntary proceeding that could prohibit the parent or Indian
      custodian from regaining custody of the child upon demand; and

       iii)A proceeding involving status offenses if any part of the
      proceeding results in the need for out -of h- ome placement of the child,
      including      a   foster -care,   preadoptive,   or    adoptive   placement,   or

      termination of parental rights.

       2) An emergency proceeding.

       c)
              If a proceeding listed in paragraph ( a)       of this section concerns a
      child who meets the statutory definition of "Indian child," then IOWA
      will apply to that proceeding. In determining whether IOWA applies
      to a proceeding, the State court may not consider factors such as the
      participation of the parents or the Indian child in Tribal cultural,
      social,    religious,
                              or political activities, the relationship between the
      Indian child and his or her parents, whether the parent ever had
      custody of the child, or the Indian child' s blood quantum,

      Under the ICWA, the court must not order a foster -care placement of an

Indian child unless clear and convincing evidence is presented, including the

testimony of one or more qualified expert witnesses, demonstrating that the child' s

continued custody by the child' s parent or Indian custodian is likely to result in

serious emotional or physical damage to the child. For a foster -care placement the

evidence must show a causal relationship between the particular conditions in the

home and the likelihood that continued custody of the child will result in serious

emotional or physical damage to the particular child who is the subject of the

child -custody proceeding. Without a causal relationship, evidence that shows only

                                                8
the existence of community or family poverty,                  isolation,   single   parenthood,

custodian age, crowded or inadequate housing, substance abuse, or nonconforming.

social behavior does not by itself constitute clear and convincing evidence that

continued custody is likely to result in serious emotional or physical damage to the

child. 25 C. F. R. § 23. 121.

       At the disposition hearing, the Juvenile Court heard the testimony of Richard

England, Delores Converse, and C. R. Richard England testified as an Indian Child

Welfare Expert Witness designated by the Tribal Council of the Seminole Nation

as the tribe' s qualified expert witness.      Mr. England testified that he spoke with

DCFS,    the   attorneys,   the   biological   mother,   the     Seminole     Nation,   and   the

children' s paternal aunt before the hearing.            However, he        indicated that the

children' s paternal grandmother was not available to speak with him.                 During his

testimony, Mr. England stated that the biological mother initially left the children

due to domestic violence. Mr. England was of the opinion that the children would

suffer emotional or physical damage if placed in the home of either parent since

the biological father is incarcerated and the biological mother left the children

three or four years prior. He further stated that, due to the trauma, the chaos, and

the circumstances that the children have been subjected to, the tribe is of the

opinion that the children should remain in the custody of DCFS and placed in the

grandmother' s home with reunification services in place for the mother.                      Mr.

England indicated that it was his opinion that there was immediate danger, whether

it was psychological, emotional, or physical, for the children to be removed.

       The next witness to testify at the disposition hearing was Delores Converse,

the child welfare specialist.     During Ms. Converse' s testimony, four exhibits were

filed into evidence including a Court Report from DCFS dated March 15, 2022, a

June 20,   2022 letter by Delores Converse, a July 27, 2022 letter by Delores

Converse, and the Case Plan dated February 25, 2022. The Court Report indicates

                                               9
that the biological mother returned to be with the children on October 17, 2021 and

left on December 2, 2021 due to a dispute with the paternal grandmother.                  Ms.

Converse testified that the biological mother could not provide Ms. Converse with

an address of where she was living and would not answer the telephone when Ms.

Converse called her. Ms. Converse further stated that the children wanted to speak

to their biological mother, but she did not call the children.          At the time of the

hearing, the children were four years old, ten years old, and eleven years old and

expressed    to    Ms.   Converse   that   they   wanted   to   live   with   their   paternal

grandmother,
                  Further, the June 20, 2022 letter by Delores Converse indicates that

the biological mother did not have any plans to return to live or visit the children

and that DCFS recommends that the children remain in DCFS' s custody.

      Lastly,     the biological mother, C. R.,   testified at the hearing. When asked.

about whether her housing was adequate for the children, C. R. indicated that she

lives with her mother, her stepfather, her cousin, and her cousin' s children in

Oklahoma.     She stated that she has lived at her mother' s home since she has been

in Oklahoma. C. R. testified that her mother' s house has four bedrooms, with two

of the bedrooms being for C. R. and her three children if C. R. gets custody of the

children.   Regarding her employment, C. R. stated that she takes care of her mother,

and C. R.' s stepfather supports her financially.      C. R. further stated that she will

provide for the children financially by relying on her family members.          Her support

system includes her stepfather, brothers, sisters- in- law, uncles,       and   aunts.   C. R.

specified that she has not attended parenting classes or anger management classes.

During her testimony, C. R. indicated that she visited the children once a year after

she initially left and now was able to speak with the children about once a week via

telephone.   C. R. stated that she has a misdemeanor marijuana conviction, she may

go live with her siblings in order to find a job if needed,            and her family will

provide for her children if she is awarded custody.

                                             10
      At the conclusion of the disposition hearing, the Juvenile Court found that

the children should be returned to the custody of C.R. In finding that the children

should be returned to C. R,, the Juvenile Court stated that there was no evidence

presented to show that the biological mother is unfit; no evidence presented to

show that the biological mother' s lack of employment or her own housing will

cause damage to the children; and no evidence presented regarding whether the

biological mother had substance abuse issues.        Further, the Juvenile Court noted

that the biological mother initially left the children due to domestic violence issues

between the biological mother and P. G. The Juvenile Court held that there was not

clear and convincing evidence presented demonstrating that placing the children in

the biological mother' s custody is likely to result in serious emotional or physical

damage to the children.      In so concluding, the Juvenile Court placed great weight

on the mother' s testimony.       We cannot find that the Juvenile Court abused its

discretion in finding that the State did not meet its burden under the ICWA or its

burden under the Louisiana Children' s Code due to the lack of evidence presented

at the disposition hearing. The Juvenile Court' s findings based on determinations

regarding the credibility of witnesses are entitled to great deference, and we do not

find that the Juvenile Court' s findings are manifestly erroneous.    See Lewis, 259

So. 3d at 367.

                                        DECREE

      The decision by the Juvenile Court of East Baton Rouge Parish wherein the

trial court returned custody of K,G.,      T. G., M.G. to their biological mother is

affirmed. The stay is lifted and the matter is remanded to the Juvenile Court for

further proceedings consistent with this opinion. All costs of this appeal in the

amount of $1,    462. 00 are assessed to The State of Louisiana.

      AFFIRMED.

                                            11
     STATE OF LOUISIANA                                   STATE OF LOUISIANA

                                                          COURT OF APPEAL
     IN THE INTEREST OF
                                                          FIRST CIRCUIT

     K.G., T.G., AND M.G.                                 NUMBER 2022 CJ 0947

VV
     CHUTZ, J., concurring.

           In light of the trial court' s factual findings as well as the heightened

     evidentiary standard and the restrictions of the Indian Child Welfare Act insofar as

     evidence of poverty, isolation, single parenthood, inadequate housing, substance

     abuse, and nonconforming social behavior being insufficient alone to clearly and

     convincingly establish the requisite causal relationship between the particular

     conditions in the mother' s home and the likelihood that custody with their mother

     would result in serious emotional or physical harm to the children,           we   are

     constrained to affirm the trial court' s conclusion. Accordingly, I concur.