In the Matter of E.J.-H. & A.J.-H. (Minor Children), Children in Need of Services, and G.J. (Mother) v. The Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.)

MEMORANDUM DECISION
Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D),
this Memorandum Decision shall not be FILED
regarded as precedent or cited before any Dec 21 2016, 7:17 am
court except for the purpose of establishing
CLERK
the defense of res judicata, collateral Indiana Supreme Court
Court of Appeals
estoppel, or the law of the case. and Tax Court
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
Timothy E. Stucky Gregory F. Zoeller
Stucky, Lauer & Young, LLP Attorney General of Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Robert J. Henke
David E. Corey
Deputy Attorneys General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
In the Matter of E.J-H. & A.J-H. December 21, 2016
(Minor Children), Children in Court of Appeals Case No.
Need of Services, 02A03-1607-JC-1633
Appeal from the Allen Superior
and Court
The Honorable Charles F. Pratt,
G.J. (Mother), Judge
Appellant-Respondent, The Honorable Sherry A. Hartzler,
Magistrate
v.
Trial Court Cause Nos.
02D08-1512-JC-633, -634
The Indiana Department of
Child Services,
Appellee-Petitioner
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Crone, Judge.
Case Summary
[1] G.J. (“Mother”) appeals trial court orders adjudicating her two minor children,
E.J-H. and A.J-H. (collectively “the Children”), as children in need of services
(“CHINS”). She challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the
CHINS determination. Concluding that the evidence is insufficient to support
the CHINS determination, we reverse.
Facts and Procedural History
[2] Mother and boyfriend E.M.H. (“Father”) are the parents of E.J-H., born
August 4, 2014, and A.J-H., born September 11, 2015. The couple had a
tumultuous relationship that resulted in physical altercations in the presence of
the Children. Father’s criminal history included a felony domestic battery
conviction (involving a female victim other than Mother) and misdemeanor
convictions for resisting law enforcement and carrying a handgun without a
license. He had one probation violation and had previously been the subject of
a no-contact order in conjunction with a battery and strangulation charges
involving another female victim. 1
1
The battery and strangulation charges were dismissed.
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[3] On November 15, 2015, Mother drove to a gas station to confront Father about
damage he had caused to her vehicle. An argument ensued in the parking lot,
and Father struck Mother in the head, nose, eyes, jaw, and neck. Meanwhile,
two-month-old A.J-H., who was sitting inside Mother’s vehicle, was splattered
with Mother’s blood, which also left a trail on the pavement. Friends
transported Mother to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for a
concussion, abrasions, bruising to her eyes, jaw, and head, and a fractured
nose. Her eyes were swollen shut, and she required stitches above her eyebrow.
She relayed to emergency room personnel her fear of Father, and police were
called.
[4] The Allen County Department of Child Services (“DCS”) received a report
concerning the incident, and on November 17, 2015, family case manager
(“FCM”) Louise Deitzer Hensley met with Mother and developed a safety plan
for Mother and the Children. FCM Deitzer testified that she had attempted to
locate Father to “get his side of the story” but that she had been unable to locate
him. Tr. at 26. Mother and the Children were residing at the home of Mother’s
grandparents. Mother agreed to a safety plan, under which she would obtain
protective orders prohibiting contact between Father and her and Father and
the Children, pursue the filing of criminal charges against Father, and complete
domestic violence counseling. FCM Deitzer testified that on December 10,
2015, Mother informed her that she would not be going forward with the safety
plan. Id. at 32-33.
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[5] On January 11, 2016, the trial court found probable cause for a CHINS
determination, and DCS filed a CHINS petition. Two weeks later, DCS filed
an amended CHINS petition, alleging endangerment to the Children based on
the parents’ history of confrontation and physical altercations. The trial court
issued a provisional order on February 3, 2016, in which it included provisional
orders for services, including Mother’s participation in and successful
completion of domestic violence counseling through Phoenix Associates and
obtaining protective orders ensuring no contact between Father and the
Children. On March 23, 2016, Mother obtained a protective order for herself,
and on April 6, 2016, she obtained protective orders for the Children. On April
7, 2016, Mother filed a motion to dismiss the CHINS petition. At the outset of
the April 21, 2016 factfinding hearing, the trial court heard argument on
Mother’s motion to dismiss. It denied the motion and conducted a full
factfinding hearing. At the time of the factfinding, Mother had participated in
the domestic violence counseling but apparently had not completed it. FCM
Cynthia Gardner, who handled Mother’s case during the pendency of the
CHINS petition, testified that although she would advise Mother to complete
her counseling, she “would not have any concerns” if the services were
discharged going forward. Id. at 58. Father failed to attend any of the CHINS
hearings, and his whereabouts were unknown throughout the proceedings.
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[6] On June 14, 2016, the trial court issued an order with findings of fact and
conclusions thereon, adjudicating the Children as CHINS. 2 Mother appeals the
CHINS determination. Additional facts will be provided as necessary.
Discussion and Decision
[7] Mother challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the CHINS
determination. When reviewing the sufficiency of evidence, we give due regard
to the trial court’s ability to assess the credibility of witnesses. In re Des.B., 2
N.E.3d 828, 836 (Ind. Ct. App. 2014). We neither reweigh evidence nor judge
witness credibility; rather, we consider only the evidence and reasonable
inferences most favorable to the trial court’s decision. K.D., 962 N.E.2d 1249,
1253 (Ind. 2012). Where the trial court issues findings of fact and conclusions
thereon, we apply a two-tiered standard of review. In re R.P., 949 N.E.2d 395,
400 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011). We consider first whether the evidence supports the
findings and then whether the findings support the judgment. Id. We will set
aside the trial court’s findings and conclusions only if they are clearly erroneous
and a review of the record leaves us firmly convinced that a mistake has been
made. Id. “Findings are clearly erroneous only when the record contains no
facts to support them either directly or by inference.” K.B. v. Indiana Dep’t of
Child Servs., 24 N.E.3d 997, 1001-02 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015) (citation omitted). “A
2
On July 11, 2016, the trial court issued a dispositional order. Mother has not included a copy of this order
in her appendix.
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judgment is clearly erroneous if it relies on an incorrect legal standard.” Id. at
1002.
[8] In a CHINS proceeding, DCS bears the burden of proving by a preponderance
of the evidence that a child meets the statutory definition of a CHINS. In re
N.E., 919 N.E.2d 102, 105 (Ind. 2010). To meet its burden of establishing
CHINS status, the State must prove that the child is under age eighteen,
(1) the child’s physical or mental condition is seriously impaired
or seriously endangered as a result of the inability, refusal, or
neglect of the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian to supply
the child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, medical care,
education, or supervision; and
(2) the child needs care, treatment, or rehabilitation that:
(A) the child is not receiving; and
(B) is unlikely to be provided or accepted without the
coercive intervention of the court.
Ind. Code § 31-34-1-1.
[9] Although the acts or omissions of one or both parents can cause a condition
that creates the need for court intervention, the CHINS designation focuses on
the condition of the child rather than on an act or omission of the parent(s).
N.E., 919 N.E.2d at 105. In other words, despite a “certain implication of
parental fault in many CHINS adjudications, the truth of the matter is that a
CHINS adjudication is simply that – a determination that a child is in need of
services.” Id. (citations omitted).
[10] As part of the CHINS order, the trial court found, in pertinent part,
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2. The Court finds that it is undisputed that Mother suffered a
brutal attack on November 15, 201[5] at the hands of her
boyfriend, Father, in which she was violently struck about the
head, face and body resulting in contusions, a fractured nose,
swollen eyes and a concussion.
….
4. The Court finds that immediately preceding the attack,
Mother had driven with A.J-H. to a gas station to confront
Father about damage to her car. The Court finds that during the
course of the confrontation Mother pushed Father who
proceeded to brutally attack Mother at the gas station.
5. The Court finds that it is also undisputed that on November
15, 2015, this brutal attack occurred in the presence of A.J-H.,
who was spattered with Mother’s blood during the course of the
attack.
6. From the testimony of DCS FCM Deitzer, the Court finds
that during the course of the investigation, Mother was offered
multiple services to ensure the safety of Mother and the Children.
These services included victim[’]s assistance services, victim[’]s
services through the Center for Non Violence, and other
community resources to address domestic violence. Further,
Mother entered into a safety plan in which she agreed to obtain a
Protective Order.
7. From the testimony of DCS FCM Deitzer, the Court finds
that by December 10, 2015 Mother reported she was no longer
willing to obtain a protective order. Additionally, Mother was
not readily responding to investigative inquiries from DCS to
ensure Mother’s compliance with the safety plan.
8. DCS continued to attempt to secure supportive and protective
services for Mother in an attempt to avoid the coercive
intervention of the Court. However, by January 2016 DCS
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concluded that Mother was minimizing the threat to her safety
and the Children’s safety. DCS further concluded that Mother
had violated the safety plan by failing to obtain a Protective
Order as previously agreed.
9. Given DCS’s assessment that Mother had not taken steps to
ensure her safety and the safety of the Children, DCS initiated
Court proceedings and requested a finding of probable cause that
the Children were CHINS.
10. The Court finds that despite the finding of probable cause
and the intervention of these proceedings, Mother failed to file
Petitions for Orders of Protection until March 23, 2016 for
herself, and April 6, 2016 for the Children. The Court would
further note that Mother had not taken these steps for over a
month after this matter was scheduled for trial. The Court finds
that this demonstrates Mother[’]s lack of insight and her
willingness to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and
protection of herself and the Children.
11. The Court finds that Mother continued to demonstrate a lack
of insight by failing to take advantage of and enroll in counseling
until after the initiation of these court proceedings.
12. The Court further notes that from the time of the attack on
November 15, 2015 up to the date of the trial, Father had not
been apprehended by law enforcement and his whereabouts were
unknown. Therefore, his access to Mother and the Children was
without limitation until the legal prohibition obtained by the
issuance of the protective orders well over three months after the
attack.
13. The Court finds that since Mother has engaged in weekly
counseling with Phoenix and Associates to address the domestic
violence, she has been compliant with services and all Orders of
the Court. The Court finds that at the time of these proceedings,
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Mother had not completed her counseling with Phoenix and
Associates.
Appellant’s App. at 57-58.
[11] Pursuant to the CHINS statute, DCS had the burden of establishing that the
Children were seriously endangered as a result of Mother’s inability or refusal
to supply them with necessary “food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education,
or supervision” and that such care or treatment is “unlikely without the
coercive intervention of the court.” Ind. Code § 31-34-1-1. The undisputed
evidence shows that the Children were well cared for in their great
grandparents’ home by both Mother and the great grandparents. As for
supervision and measures to ensure their safety, it is undisputed that Mother
obtained protective orders for herself and the Children weeks before the
factfinding hearing. Appellant’s App. at 49, 51, 53. DCS characterizes Mother
as wavering in her resolve to protect the Children and address her own issues as
a victim of domestic violence. While we agree with DCS that Mother was less
than diligent in obtaining the protective orders, she nevertheless did so before
the factfinding, thereby rendering the coercive intervention of the court
unnecessary. See In re S.D., 2 N.E.3d 1283, 1288-89 (Ind. 2014) (evidence held
insufficient to support CHINS determination despite some evidence of mother’s
initial reticence to comply with services and lack of diligence in attending to
child’s medical needs).
[12] As for Mother’s efforts to address her issues as a domestic violence victim, the
undisputed evidence shows that she participated in domestic violence
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counseling at Phoenix Associates. Although she apparently had not completed
her counseling as of the date of the factfinding, FCM Garner testified that she
“would not have any concerns” even if the counseling services were discharged
without Mother having completed them. Tr. at 58.
[13] Simply put, Mother took the legal steps necessary to prevent Father from
endangering the Children and took steps to address her issues as a victim of
domestic violence. There is no evidence that Mother engaged in conduct that
would otherwise jeopardize the Children’s safety while they were in her care
and residing at her grandparents’ home. During the pendency of the CHINS
proceedings, Father’s whereabouts were unknown, and the record is devoid of
evidence indicating that he attempted to contact Mother or the Children
between November 2015 and the date of the factfinding. In short, there was no
evidence of any ongoing threat from which Mother had failed to protect the
Children. Based on the foregoing, we conclude that the evidence is insufficient
to support the CHINS determination. Consequently, we reverse and vacate the
CHINS determination.
[14] Reversed.
Riley, J., and Altice, J., concur.
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