In re the Termination of the Parental Rights of E.H. and K.H. (Minor Children) H.W. (Mother) and P.H. (Father) v. Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.)

CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 14, 2019
Docket19A-JT-311
StatusPublished

This text of In re the Termination of the Parental Rights of E.H. and K.H. (Minor Children) H.W. (Mother) and P.H. (Father) v. Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.) (In re the Termination of the Parental Rights of E.H. and K.H. (Minor Children) H.W. (Mother) and P.H. (Father) v. Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana 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 the Termination of the Parental Rights of E.H. and K.H. (Minor Children) H.W. (Mother) and P.H. (Father) v. Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.), (Ind. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), this Memorandum Decision shall not be FILED regarded as precedent or cited before any Aug 14 2019, 8:14 am

court except for the purpose of establishing CLERK the defense of res judicata, collateral Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals and Tax Court estoppel, or the law of the case.

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE MOTHER Curtis T. Hill, Jr. Steven Knecht Attorney General Vonderheide & Knecht, P.C. Indianapolis, Indiana Lafayette, Indiana Robert J. Henke ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT FATHER Deputy Attorney General Indianapolis, Indiana Amanda McIlwain Legal Aid Corp. of Tippecanoe Co. Lafayette, Indiana

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

In re the Termination of the August 14, 2019 Parental Rights of E.H. and Court of Appeals Case No. K.H. (Minor Children) 19A-JT-311 H.W. (Mother) and P.H. Appeal from the Tippecanoe (Father), Superior Court The Honorable Faith A. Graham, Appellants-Respondents, Judge v. Trial Court Cause Nos. 79D03-1805-JT-71 79D03-1805-JT-72 Indiana Department of Child Services, Appellee-Petitioner

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-JT-311 | August 14, 2019 Page 1 of 18 May, Judge.

[1] H.W. (“Mother”) and P.H. (“Father”) (collectively, “Parents”) appeal the

involuntary termination of their parental rights to E.H. and K.H. (collectively,

“Children”). Mother argues the Department of Child Services (“DCS”)

violated her due process rights when it allegedly violated the trial court’s order

to reinstate Mother’s visitation with Children. Father argues DCS did not offer

certain services to him and termination of his parental rights was not in

Children’s best interests. We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History [2] Parents are the biological parents of E.H. and K.H., born February 15, 2016,

and May 28, 2017, respectively. On February 3, 2017, DCS received a report

that Parents were using methamphetamine. The family could not be located on

that date. On February 14, 2017, DCS received a report that Mother was at the

courthouse with E.H. and was under the influence of drugs. DCS investigated

the claim and found Mother and E.H. at Mother’s court hearing. Mother tested

positive for heroin and methamphetamine. E.H. tested positive for

methamphetamine and was removed from Mother’s care. Father could not be

located.

[3] On February 15, 2017, DCS filed a petition alleging E.H. was a Child in Need

of Services (“CHINS”). On April 6, 2017, the trial court adjudicated E.H. a

CHINS. Mother was incarcerated and Father failed to appear at the hearing.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-JT-311 | August 14, 2019 Page 2 of 18 On April 25, 2017, the trial court entered its dispositional order. The order

required Mother to participate in “substance abuse assessment and treatment,

mental health assessment, individual counseling, case management, intensive

parenting education, random drug screens, and parenting time.” (Father’s App.

Vol. II at 28.) The order required Father to participate in “substance abuse

assessment and treatment, psychological evaluation, individual counseling,

Character Restoration program, case management and/or Father Engagement

services, random drug screens, and parenting time.” (Id.)

[4] K.H. was born on May 28, 2017, and exhibited symptoms of withdrawal at

birth. Hospital staff reported Mother behaved erratically while in the hospital

and exhibited symptoms of methamphetamine use. At the time, Father was

incarcerated. DCS took K.H. into custody on June 1, 2017, and filed a petition

to declare K.H. a CHINS on June 2, 2017. On July 27, 2017, the trial court

declared K.H. a CHINS based on Mother’s drug use and Father’s incarceration.

The same day, the trial court entered its dispositional order, requiring Parents to

participate in the services ordered in its dispositional order regarding E.H.

[5] At first, Parents complied with services. However, over time Parents relapsed

into drug use and ceased participating in services. On October 30, 2017, the

trial court issued a Writ of Attachment for Parents for failure to appear at the

status hearing. At that hearing, the trial court suspended Father’s visitation

until Father tested negative for methamphetamine. On November 16, 2017,

Mother’s visitation was suspended because she was not taking “constructive

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-JT-311 | August 14, 2019 Page 3 of 18 [safety] suggestions appropriately.” (Ex. Vol. I at 155.) The trial court

eventually reinstated visitation for both Parents.

[6] Parents did not appear at the February 12, 2018, permanency hearing. At that

hearing, the trial court suspended Parents’ visitation pending their completion

of thirty days of clean drug screens. In addition, the trial court indicated that if

visitations were reinstated, Parents would be required to submit drug screens

prior to each visit in addition to the previously-ordered random drug screens.

Visitation was never reinstated for Parents.

[7] On April 23, 2018, the trial court changed Children’s permanency plan from

reunification to termination of parental rights and adoption. On May 22, 2018,

DCS filed petitions to terminate Parents’ parental rights to Children. On July

31 and August 14, 2018, the trial court held hearings regarding the termination

petitions. On January 8, 2019, the trial court issued an order terminating

Parents’ rights to Children.

Discussion and Decision Due Process [8] In a termination of parental rights proceeding, parents have certain due process

rights:

When a State seeks to terminate the parent-child relationship, it must do so in a manner that meets the requirements of the due process clause. Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745, 102 S. Ct. 1388, 71 L.Ed.2d 599 (1982). Although due process has never been

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-JT-311 | August 14, 2019 Page 4 of 18 precisely defined, the phrase embodies a requirement of “fundamental fairness.” E.P. v. Marion County Office of Family & Children, 653 N.E.2d 1026, 1031 (Ind. Ct. App. 1995) (quoting Lassiter v. Dep’t of Social Servs., 452 U.S. 18, 26, 101 S. Ct. 2153, 68 L.Ed.2d 640 (1981).

J.T. v. Marion Cty. Office of Family & Children, 740 N.E.2d 1261, 1264 (Ind. Ct.

App. 2000), reh’g denied, trans. denied, abrogated on other grounds by Baker v. Marion

Cty. Office of Family & Children, 810 N.E.2d 1035, 1041 (Ind. 2004) (abrogation

based on underperformance of counsel). In addition, “procedural irregularities

in a CHINS proceedings [sic] may be of such import that they deprive a parent

of procedural due process with respect to the termination of his or her parental

rights.” A.P. v. Porter Cty. Office of Family & Children, 734 N.E.2d 1107, 1112-13

(Ind. Ct. App. 2000), reh’g denied, trans. denied.

Mother

[9] On June 22, 2018, approximately one month after DCS filed its petition to

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Related

Santosky v. Kramer
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