In Re: the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of: Ka.A., Ke.A., T.A., and L.K. D.A. (Father) v. 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 Oct 10 2018, 10:53 am
court except for the purpose of establishing CLERK
Indiana Supreme Court
the defense of res judicata, collateral Court of Appeals
and Tax Court
estoppel, or the law of the case.
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
Jillian C. Keating Curtis T. Hill, Jr.
Coots, Henke & Wheeler, P.C. Attorney General of Indiana
Carmel, Indiana
Abigail R. Recker
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
In Re: the Termination of the October 10, 2018
Parent-Child Relationship of: Court of Appeals Case No.
Ka.A., Ke.A., T.A., and L.K.; 18A-JT-860
Appeal from the Hamilton Circuit
D.A. (Father) Court
The Honorable Paul A. Felix,
Appellant-Defendant,
Judge
v. Trial Court Cause No.
29C01-1709-JT-1200
29C01-1709-JT-1201
Indiana Department of Child
29C01-1709-JT-1202
Services, 29C01-1709-JT-1203
Appellee-Plaintiff.
Pyle, Judge.
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Statement of the Case
[1] D.A. (“Father”) appeals the termination of the parent-child relationship with
his children T.A. (“T.A.”), Ka.A. (“Ka.A.”), Ke.A. (“Ke.A.”), and L.K.
(“L.K.) (collectively “the children”).1 He contends that there is insufficient
evidence to support the terminations. Specifically, Father argues that the
Department of Child Services (“DCS”) failed to prove by clear and convincing
evidence that: (1) there is a reasonable probability that the conditions that
resulted in the children’s removal or the reasons for placement outside the
home will not be remedied; (2) a continuation of the parent-child relationship
poses a threat to the children’s well-being; and (3) termination of the parent-
child relationship is in the children’s best interests. Concluding that there is
sufficient evidence to support the termination of the parent-child relationships,
we affirm the trial court’s judgment.
[2] We affirm.
Issue
The sole issue for our review is whether there is sufficient
evidence to support the terminations.
1
The children’s mother (“Mother”) voluntarily terminated her parental rights at the termination hearing and
is not a party to this appeal.
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Facts
[3] Father is the parent of T.A., who was born in October 2008; Ka.A., who was
born in January 2011; Ke.A., who was born in May 2012; and L.K., who was
born in October 2016. In December 2015, T.A., Ka.A, and Ke.A were
removed from their parents’ home because drug paraphernalia, easily accessible
to the children, was found in the home. Both parents also admitted using illegal
substances, such as heroin, when the children were in the home. The parents’
home was also found to be unsuitable for children.
[4] Also in December 2015, following the children’s removal, Father participated
in a Salvation Army drug detoxification program. He was then referred to an
inpatient substance abuse treatment program at Southwestern Behavioral
Health. Father began the program but left it against medical advice before
successfully completing it.
[5] The three children, who had been placed in foster care with their paternal uncle
and his wife, were adjudicated to be children in need of services (“CHINS”) in
February 2016. The CHINS dispositional decree ordered Father to: (1)
complete a parenting assessment and successfully complete all
recommendations; (2) complete a substance abuse assessment and successfully
complete all recommendations; (3) remain drug free and submit to random drug
screens; (4) attend supervised visitation with the children; (5) obtain and
maintain stable housing; and (6) obtain and maintain stable employment.
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[6] In March 2016, Father completed substance abuse and parenting assessments.
At the time of the assessments, Father was homeless and “living with friends
and [] in and out of hotels.” (Ex. Vol. 4 at 115). He admitted that he was
addicted to heroin. In April 2016, Father was referred to two programs to
address his substance abuse issues, but he did not attend either program. Two
months later, in June 2016, while the CHINS case was pending, Father
committed Level 4 felony burglary of a dwelling and Level 6 felony theft. He
was charged with the offenses and incarcerated in the Hamilton County jail in
July 2016.
[7] Father’s fourth child, L.K., was born in October 2016. At the time of his birth,
both L.K. and Mother tested positive for amphetamines. L.K. was placed with
his sisters in foster care and adjudicated to be a CHINS in December 2016. In
January 2017, Father pled guilty to the Level 4 felony and was sentenced to
eight years in the Indiana Department of Correction, where he was placed in
the Purposeful Incarceration Program.
[8] In September 2017, DCS filed petitions to terminate Father’s parental
relationships with his four children. At the January 2018 termination hearing,
DCS Family Case Manager Marshall Despain (“Case Manager Despain”)
testified that although Father had completed a parenting assessment, Father
had never been able to show that he had “improved his overall ability to ensure
that the children w[ould] be safe in his care.” (Tr. 91). Case Manager Despain
further testified that the children had been removed from Father because of
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unsafe housing and Father’s drug use. According to the case manager, “those
[were] still issues” for Father at the time of his incarceration. (Tr. 94).
[9] DSC Family Case Manger Mary Catherine Driggers (“Case Manager
Driggers”) testified that she was concerned that once Father was “no longer
incarcerated, he would not choose to maintain that sobriety because he did not,
he was not able to maintain sobriety when he did have access to the outside
world where he could obtain those illegal substances.” (Tr. 98-99). Case
Manager Driggers further testified that Father’s three oldest children had not
had any contact with Father since his July 2016 arrest, which was eighteen
months before the termination hearing. Father had never had physical contact
with his youngest child, L.K., who was fifteen months old at the time of the
termination hearing. According to Case Manager Driggers, adoption was in
the children’s best interests because the children needed to know “that they
[were] safe, stable, and they [were] going to have a permanent home until they
bec[a]me adults.” (Tr. 104).
[10] The children’s foster mother (“Foster Mother”) testified that although the older
children were developmentally delayed when they arrived at the foster home, at
the time of the termination hearing, T.A. was in the second highest reading
level in her class, and the other two girls had “done really well in adjusting.”
(Tr. 125). All of the girls were involved in extracurricular activities, such as
soccer, gymnastics, and volleyball. Foster Mother further testified that she and
her husband wanted to adopt all four children. She specifically explained that
although they had “thought this was going to be temporary[, they] just couldn’t
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imagine the children not being a part of the family or being lost somewhere or –
so that’s just what [they] want[ed] to do.” (Tr. 126).
[11] Guardian Ad Litem Casandra Nelson (“GAL Nelson”) testified that the
children were removed from both parents because of substance abuse issues and
unsuitable housing. When asked whether Father had made any progress
addressing these issues, GAL Nelson responded as follows: “Prior to being
incarcerated I know he had made little, if any, progress and was still testing
positive for substances. At this point he is still incarcerated and I believe his
earliest release date is 2021.” (Tr. 117-18). GAL Nelson further testified that
termination was in the children’s best interests because the children had already
been removed from their home for more than two years and they “need[ed] a
stable, loving, permanent home to grow up in.” (Tr. 118). According to GAL
Nelson, she had visited the children in their foster home, and the “home [wa]s a
good environment for them. It [was] appropriate and the children appear[ed] to
be doing very well in that environment.” (Tr. 119).
[12] In March 2018, the trial court issued orders terminating Father’s parental
relationships with his four children. Father now appeals.
Decision
[13] The traditional right of parents to establish a home and raise their children is
protected by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In
re J.W., Jr., 27 N.E.3d 1185, 1187-88 (Ind. Ct. App. 2015), trans. denied.
However, a trial court must subordinate the interests of the parents to those of
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the child when evaluating the circumstances surrounding a termination. Id. at
1188. Termination of the parent-child relationship is proper where a child’s
emotional and physical development is threatened. Id. Although the right to
raise one’s own child should not be terminated solely because there is a better
home available for the child, parental rights may be terminated when a parent is
unable or unwilling to meet his or her parental responsibilities. Id.[14] Before an involuntary termination of parental rights may occur, DCS is
required to allege and prove, among other things:
(B) that one (1) of the following is true:
(i) There is a reasonable probability that the conditions
that resulted in the child’s removal or the reasons for
placement outside the home of the parents will not be
remedied.
(ii) There is a reasonable probability that the continuation
of the parent-child relationship poses a threat to the well-
being of the child.
(iii) The child has, on two (2) separate occasions, been
adjudicated a child in need of services;
(C) that termination is in the best interests of the child; and
(D) that there is a satisfactory plan for the care and treatment of
the child.
IND. CODE § 31-35-2-4(b)(2). DCS must prove the alleged circumstances by
clear and convincing evidence. K.T.K. v. Ind. Dep’t of Child Servs., 989 N.E.2d
1225, 1230 (Ind. 2013).
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[15] When reviewing a termination of parental rights, this Court will not reweigh
the evidence or judge the credibility of the witnesses. In re R.S., 56 N.E.3d 625,
628 (Ind. 2016). We consider only the evidence and any reasonable inferences
to be drawn therefrom that support the judgment and give due regard to the
trial court’s opportunity to judge the credibility of the witnesses firsthand.
K.T.K., 989 N.E.2d at 1229.
[16] When the trial court’s judgment contains specific findings of fact and
conclusions thereon, we apply a two-tiered standard of review. In re R.S., 56
N.E.3d at 628. First, we determine whether the evidence supports the findings,
and second, we determine whether the findings support the judgment. Id. We
will set aside a trial court’s judgment terminating a parent-child relationship
only if it is clearly erroneous. Id. Findings are clearly erroneous only when the
record contains no facts or inferences to be drawn therefrom that support them.
In re A.G., 6 N.E.3d 952, 957 (Ind. Ct. App. 2014). A judgment is clearly
erroneous if the findings do not support the trial court’s conclusions or the
conclusions do not support the judgment. Id.[17] Father argues that DCS failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence that:
(1) there is a reasonable probability that the conditions that resulted in the
children’s removal or the reasons for placement outside the home will not be
remedied; and (2) a continuation of the parent-child relationship poses a threat
to the children’s well-being. However, we note that INDIANA CODE § 31-35-2-
4(b)(2)(B) is written in the disjunctive. Therefore, DCS is required to establish
by clear and convincing evidence only one of the three requirements of
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subsection (B). In re A.K., 924 N.E.2d 212, 220 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010), trans.
dismissed. We therefore discuss only whether there is a reasonable probability
that the conditions that resulted in the children’s removal or the reasons for
their placement outside the home will not be remedied.
[18] In determining whether the conditions that resulted in a child’s removal or
placement outside the home will not be remedied, we engage in a two-step
analysis. In re E.M., 4 N.E.3d 636, 643 (Ind. 2014). We first identify the
conditions that led to removal or placement outside the home and then
determine whether there is a reasonable probability that those conditions will
not be remedied. Id. The second step requires trial courts to judge a parent’s
fitness at the time of the termination proceeding, taking into consideration
evidence of changed conditions and balancing any recent improvements against
habitual patterns of conduct to determine whether there is a substantial
probability of future neglect or deprivation. Id. Habitual conduct may include
parents’ prior criminal history, drug and alcohol abuse, history of neglect,
failure to provide support, and a lack of adequate housing and employment.
A.D.S. v. Ind. Dep’t of Child Servs., 987 N.E.2d 1150, 1157 (Ind. Ct. App. 2013),
trans. denied. The trial court may also consider services offered to the parent by
DCS and the parent’s response to those services as evidence of whether
conditions will be remedied. Id.[19] Here, our review of the evidence reveals that the children were removed from
the parents’ home because of unsuitable home conditions and Father’s drug
use. Evidence at the termination hearing revealed that Father had attended
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both substance abuse and parenting assessments in March 2016 and had
admitted that he was addicted to heroin. However, he had failed to attend
either of the substance abuse programs to which he had been referred. In
addition, at the time of the assessments, Father was homeless. Two months
after completing the assessments, during the pendency of the CHINS
proceedings, Father committed a felony, which led to an eight-year prison
sentence. Father’s earliest possible release date is 2021. We further note that,
at the time of the termination hearing, Father had not had any contact with his
three oldest children in eighteen months, and he had never had any physical
contact with his youngest child. This evidence supports the trial court’s
conclusion that there was a reasonable probability that the conditions that
resulted in the children’s removal would not be remedied. We find no error.
[20] Father also argues that there is insufficient evidence that the termination was in
the children’s best interests. In determining whether termination of parental
rights is in the best interests of a child, the trial court is required to look at the
totality of the evidence. In re D.D., 804 N.E.2d 258, 267 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004),
trans. denied. In so doing, the court must subordinate the interests of the parents
to those of the child involved. Id. Termination of the parent-child relationship
is proper where the child’s emotional and physical development is threatened.
In re R.S., 774 N.E.2d 927, 930 (Ind. Ct. App. 2002), trans. denied. “‘A parent’s
historical inability to provide adequate housing, stability and supervision
coupled with a current inability to provide the same will support a finding that
continuation of the parent-child relationship is contrary to the child’s best
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interest.’” In re B.D.J., 728 N.E.2d 195, 203 (Ind. Ct. App. 2000) (quoting
Matter of Adoption of D.V.H., 604 N.E.2d 634, 638 (Ind. Ct. App. 1992), trans.
denied, superseded by rule on other grounds). Further, the testimony of the service
providers may support a finding that termination is in the child’s best interests.
McBride v. Monroe Cty. Office of Family and Children, 798 N.E.2d 185, 203 (Ind.
Ct. App. 2003).
[21] Here, our review of the evidence reveals that Father has historically been
unable to provide housing, stability, and supervision for his children and was
unable to provide the same at the time of the termination hearing. In addition,
GAL Nelson testified that termination was in the children’s best interests. The
testimony of this service provider, as well as the other evidence previously
discussed, supports the trial court’s conclusion that termination was in the
children’s best interests.
[22] We reverse a termination of parental rights “only upon a showing of ‘clear
error’—that which leaves us with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake
has been made.” Egly v. Blackford Cty. Dep’t of Pub. Welfare, 592 N.E.2d 1232,
1235 (Ind. 1992). We find no such error here and therefore affirm the trial
court.
[23] Affirmed.
Najam, J., and Crone, J., concur.
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