In Re WM

172 S.W.3d 718, 2005 WL 1993337
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedAugust 18, 2005
Docket2-04-172-CV
StatusPublished

This text of 172 S.W.3d 718 (In Re WM) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re WM, 172 S.W.3d 718, 2005 WL 1993337 (Tex. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

172 S.W.3d 718 (2005)

In the Interest of W.M. and A.S., Children.

No. 2-04-172-CV.

Court of Appeals of Texas, Fort Worth.

August 18, 2005.

*720 David A. Pearson, IV, Fort Worth, for Appellant.

Tim Curry, Criminal Dist. Atty., Charles M. Mallin, David M. Curl, Anne Swenson, James Teel and Clifford Bronson, Asst. Criminal Dist. Attys., Fort Worth, for Appellee.

Panel F: LIVINGSTON, DAUPHINOT, and HOLMAN, JJ.

OPINION

LEE ANN DAUPHINOT, Justice.

After a bench trial, the trial court terminated the parental rights of W.M. and A.S.'s birthparents, denied the requested relief of the intervening foster parents and Appellants Wesley and Sandra S., the intervening maternal grandparents, and gave the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services ("TDFPS") permanent managing conservatorship ("PMC") of the children. In two points, the grandparents contend that the evidence is factually insufficient to show that awarding TDFPS PMC of the child W.M. is in the child's best interest and that the trial court abused its discretion in denying them grandparent access to the children. Because we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion, we affirm the trial court's judgment.

BACKGROUND FACTS

W.M. was born on August 23, 2001, while his parents were living with the grandparents. About one month after his birth, the child was removed from his parents by TDFPS because his legs had been broken and his esophagus had been torn. W.M.'s mother, Crystal, admitted that she had caused the injuries and was later convicted. Wesley's testimony indicates some denial or minimizing of his daughter Crystal's responsibility for W.M.'s injuries:[1]

Q. Now, can you tell the Court what your understanding is of what kinds of injuries W.M. received? Like, was it broken bones? Was it bruising?
Tell the Court what it is your understanding is—
A. Well, my understanding was it was just stress fractures to his little legs.
Q. When you say "just stress fractures," what do you mean by that?
A. Well, to his little legs. That's all I know.
. . . .
Q. Now, ultimately, your daughter was convicted of causing the injuries to W.M.; is that correct?
A. Yes, sir.
*721 Q. Now, you have had many opportunities to talk to your daughter Crystal about what happened to cause the injuries to W.M., haven't you?
A. Uh-huh.
Q. And she's told you what her version of events is regarding the injury to W.M., hasn't she?
A. Uh-huh.
Q. What has she told you?
A. Well, that she was tired and she might have hurt his legs when she went to change his diaper, or she doesn't really know what happened.
Q. And has that been her story pretty much consistently since the date of the removal?
A. Pretty much.
Q. When you say "pretty much," have there been changes in her position?
A. Well, she did say one time that he fell off the bed. She had went to get medicine for him and left him at home with Lee. That was the weekend we were out of town.
Q. What do you think caused the injuries?
A. Well, I have no idea.
Q. Have you ever told anyone you feel that — that it was Lee M . . . who actually caused the injuries?
A. Yes.
Q. And why did you tell people that? Is that because that's what you feel?
A. Well, because he had an anger problem.
. . . .
Q. . . . . So your understanding of the injuries that W.M. received that resulted in his removal in September of 2001 was that he had two breaks to his leg? Is that your understanding?
A. No. I was understanding they weren't broke, they were just fractures.
Q. So your description is not breaks, but fractures?
A. Yes.
Q. So do you think the injuries to W.M. were serious?
A. Well, at that time, I didn't know.
Q. Well, now what is your position?
A. No.
Q. Not really?
A. Not really.
Q. Okay. Now, your daughter had been convicted for those injuries, correct?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And she received a 12-year sentence; is that right?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Now, she did not plead guilty to injuring the child; is that correct?
A. Right.
Q. She had a trial on that?
A. Right.
Q. Now, do you feel that — that your daughter intentionally hurt W.M.?
A. Not intentionally, no.
Q. Do you think that she accidentally hurt him?
A. Yes.
Q. Now, since—I'm not going to argue with your — what you believe? All right?
So since you believe that her — that the injuries that she caused to W.M. were accidental, do you think that — that she can learn to properly parent, since the only injuries that she caused were accidental?
A. Yes. Eventually, yes.
Q. And do you think she has pretty much learned her lesson?
A. Yeah, I think she has.
Q. And so when she is released from prison, you think that at that point she *722 probably would be able to properly parent, since she has learned her lesson and since it was an accidental injury?
A. No, not at that time. I think she needs to take parenting classes and some more classes and learn a little bit more about children.
. . . .
Q. And so when she is released from prison, if she would take some parenting classes, which could take a couple months, you feel that she would probably be in a position where she could properly parent?
A. Probably.
. . . .
Q. Okay. And so she's eligible on a yearly basis to ask for parole; is that correct?
A. That's the way I understand it.
. . . .
Q. Could be eligible for parole in a year, right?
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. How do you believe that the fractures to W.M.'s legs occurred? What do you think your daughter actually did?
Do you think it was a diaper changing, or do you think she was frustrated and tugged on his legs?
. . . .
A. . . . . I don't know how she did it.
. . . .
Q. And you have asked her how she injured W.M., right?
A. No, really, I haven't talked to her about it. She got convicted of it, and I dropped it. I haven't said no more to her about it.
Q.

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Bluebook (online)
172 S.W.3d 718, 2005 WL 1993337, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-wm-texapp-2005.