In re Interest of Payton P.

CourtNebraska Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 30, 2019
DocketA-18-733
StatusPublished

This text of In re Interest of Payton P. (In re Interest of Payton P.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Interest of Payton P., (Neb. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

IN THE NEBRASKA COURT OF APPEALS

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND JUDGMENT ON APPEAL (Memorandum Web Opinion)

IN RE INTEREST OF PAYTON P.

NOTICE: THIS OPINION IS NOT DESIGNATED FOR PERMANENT PUBLICATION AND MAY NOT BE CITED EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY NEB. CT. R. APP. P. § 2-102(E).

IN RE INTEREST OF PAYTON P., A CHILD UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE.

STATE OF NEBRASKA, APPELLEE, V.

DANELLE B., APPELLANT, AND ORREY P., APPELLEE, AND CYNTHIA W. AND DANA W., INTERVENORS-APPELLEES.

Filed April 30, 2019. No. A-18-733.

Appeal from the County Court for Scotts Bluff County: JAMES M. WORDEN, Judge. Affirmed. Jessica R. Meyers, Deputy Scotts Bluff County Public Defender, for appellant. William E. Madelung, of Madelung Law Office, P.C., L.L.O., for appellee Orrey P. Katy A. Reichert, of Chaloupka, Holyoke, Snyder, Chaloupka & Longoria, P.C., L.L.O., for intervenors-appellees.

PIRTLE, ARTERBURN, and WELCH, Judges. PIRTLE, Judge. INTRODUCTION Danelle B. appeals from an order of the Scotts Bluff County Court, sitting as a juvenile court, that terminated her parental rights to her child, Payton P. Orrey P. attempts to cross-appeal from the same order that also terminated his parental rights to Payton. Cynthia W. and Dana W., Payton’s maternal grandmother and stepgrandfather, also appeal the termination of Danelle’s

-1- parental rights. Based on the reasons that follow, we affirm the termination of Danelle’s and Orrey’s parental rights to Payton and we dismiss Cynthia and Dana’s appeal for lack of standing. BACKGROUND Danelle and Orrey are the biological parents of Payton, born in April 2013. On May 2, 2017, the State filed a petition to adjudicate Payton pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-247(3)(a) (Reissue 2016) alleging that her parents’ use of controlled substances placed her at risk of harm and/or deprived her of necessary parental care, and that she lacked safe and stable housing. Payton was removed from her home on May 1 and has not returned since. On May 16, the State filed an amended juvenile petition which included the allegations in the original petition and added an allegation that Orrey neglected to provide Payton with proper parental care, support, or protection. On July 12, the State filed a second amended petition alleging only that Payton lacked safe and stable housing through no fault of Danelle and Orrey. Danelle and Orrey both admitted to the allegation in the second amended petition, which the court accepted. Payton was adjudicated under § 43-247(3)(a). On April 3, 2018, Cynthia and Dana filed a complaint to intervene, which the court granted. On April 19, 2018, the State filed a motion to terminate Danelle’s parental rights to Payton, alleging that termination was appropriate pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-292(2), (4), and (6) (Reissue 2016), and that termination was in Payton’s best interests. On the same day, the State filed a motion to terminate Orrey’s parental rights, alleging that termination was appropriate pursuant to § 43-292(1), (2), and (6), and that termination was in Payton’s best interests. In June 2018, trial was held on the motions to terminate Danelle’s and Orrey’s parental rights. As explained later in this opinion, we will not address the termination of Orrey’s parental rights, and as such, the evidence discussed below only pertains to Danelle. Allison Claussen, Payton’s foster mom, was the first witness to testify for the State. Payton was placed with her on May 1, 2017, and was 4 years old at the time. Claussen testified that when Payton first arrived she was withdrawn and shy, had erratic behavior and tantrums, was still in diapers, had problems sleeping, would not sleep alone, and would not eat meals and only wanted to snack on “junk food.” Claussen testified that she supervised visits between Danelle and Payton in her home for about the first 4 months. The visits took place twice per week. She testified that during the time she supervised visits, Danelle did not play or interact with Payton. Payton spent a lot of the visitation time either watching something on her tablet or Danelle’s phone, or watching television. Claussen also observed that when Danelle did interact with Payton it was not at her age level. She testified that Danelle fell asleep during one visit and had problems walking and functioning at another visit. Claussen testified that in late January or early February 2018, Payton regressed from the progress she had made since May 2017. She testified that Payton became withdrawn again, had a lot of anxiety, was having more tantrums, and regressed on her potty training. Claussen testified that during this time, Danelle had daily visits scheduled with Payton, but Danelle was not being consistent in attending those visits. By the end of March or beginning of April 2018, Payton had progressed back to where she was before the January/February regression. Payton’s turnaround

-2- coincided with a reduction in Danelle’s visits. Her visits had been reduced to once per week, and there were family therapy sessions once per week as well. Claussen testified that Payton functions better when her schedule is consistent; she is happy, does not have tantrums, is well-behaved, and interacts with other children. She testified that Danelle has not been able to provide Payton with a consistent schedule. Cassie Beasant, Payton’s caseworker since May 2017, was next to testify. Beasant testified that Payton was removed from the home based on methamphetamine use by Danelle and Orrey. The case plans that Beasant had prepared over the course of the case were admitted into evidence. Beasant testified that the goals set for Danelle had not changed throughout the case. The goals included: maintaining safe and stable housing free from illegal substances and unsafe individuals, working on and modeling protective parenting skills, and taking all of her medications as prescribed. Beasant testified that Danelle has submitted to a medication evaluation, a substance abuse evaluation, and a psychological and parent capacity evaluation. The psychological and parent capacity evaluation report stated that unless Danelle’s past history was addressed, she would continue to have relationships that place her and Payton in harm’s way. The report recommended individual therapy and family therapy. At the time of trial, Danelle had only been to three individual therapy sessions. Beasant testified that she talked with Danelle about the need to go to therapy from the time it was recommended in December 2017 until Danelle went to her first session in March 2018. Danelle had been participating in family therapy since November 2017. Beasant testified that at the time of trial, Danelle was in a relationship with an individual named Chris, and that he had been living in Danelle’s home since at least March 2018. Chris has a criminal history that includes multiple assault charges in the past 10 years, the most recent being 3 years ago. Beasant testified that she talked to Danelle about Chris in April or May and expressed her concern about his past and that Danelle told her she would have whomever she wants in her home and she did not believe Chris had the criminal record Beasant claimed he had. Beasant testified that Danelle completed “Circle of Security” parenting course in summer 2017, but that she has not implemented the skills that she learned. Beasant testified that Danelle had recently been attending most of her scheduled visitations, as well as most of Payton’s medical appointments.

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Bluebook (online)
In re Interest of Payton P., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-interest-of-payton-p-nebctapp-2019.