In the Int. of: N.D.B., a Minor Appeal of: A.A.B.

Superior Court of Pennsylvania·Decided December 19, 2014·No. 2011 MDA 2013·Unpublished

Opinion

J.S15034/14

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

IN THE INTEREST OF: N.D.B., A MINOR, : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : : APPEAL OF: A.A.B. : : : No. 2011 MDA 2013

Appeal from the Order Entered October 14, 2013 In the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County Civil Division No(s).: CP-14-DP-0000034-2012

BEFORE: BOWES, OLSON, and FITZGERALD,* JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY FITZGERALD, J.: FILED DECEMBER 19, 2014

This case returns to this panel after we remanded for: (1) the trial

court to file a supplemental Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a) opinion addressing the

guardian ad litem’s opposition to the goal change; and (2) the guardian ad

litem to file an appellate brief in response to the trial court’s supplemental

Rule 1925(a) opinion. The trial court and guardian ad litem have done so.

Appellant, A.A.B., (“Father”) appeals from the order entered on

October 14, 2013, in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas, changing

the permanency goal of N.D.B. (“Child”) (born in September of 2012) from

reunification to adoption. Father contends the court erred in changing the

placement goal because (1) he and K.S.P. (“Mother”) continued to make

* Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court. J. S15034/14

progress in alleviating the conditions which led to the placement, (2) there is

a strong parent─child bond and (3) the guardian ad litem opposed the goal

change. We affirm.

The trial court summarized the facts and procedural posture of this

case as follows:

Centre County Children and Youth Services (“CYS”) has been involved with [Father] intermittently since June 10, 1997, when the agency received a referral due to concerns that [Father] had been physically violent with his then infant son (A.A.B. born December 22, 1996). A.A.B. was placed, through an agreement with his parents, with his paternal grandparents. On September 9, 1998, the court determined that A.A.B. was no longer dependent, and since that time, A.A.B. has continued in the care and custody of his paternal grandparents. [Father’s] second son, J.M.B., was born on January 31, 1999, and is not in [Father’s] custody. [Father] has not had significant periods of custody of J.M.B. for the majority of J.M.B.’s life.

[Father] has a significant criminal history. [Father] has previously been charged with receiving stolen property, burglary, theft by unlawful taking, simple assault, harassment, marijuana─small amount personal use and use/possession of drug paraphernalia, recklessly endangering another person, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, reckless driving, careless driving, and DUI: Controlled Substance. [Father] is currently incarcerated for violating his probation on the DUI charge by driving on a suspended license.

[Father’s] wife, K.S.P. (“Mother”), is the biological mother of [Child]. CYS has been involved with [Mother] since the birth of her first child on November 10, 2006, and has previously placed her five older children in foster care. On October 7, 2008, [Mother’s] parental rights were involuntarily terminated to her oldest child, D.A., and he was adopted on November 20, 2008. Her parental rights were involuntarily terminated to her twins, D.H. and H.J., on April 1, 2009, and the twins were adopted on June 24,

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2009. On February 25, 2010, her parental rights were involuntarily terminated to Z.N., and Z.N. was adopted on April 16, 2010. On April 3, 2012, her parental rights were involuntarily terminated to E.I., her fifth child, and he was subsequently adopted on July 3, 2012.

CYS became involved with the family once again upon learning that [Mother] was pregnant with N.D.B. due to concerns stemming from the agency’s previous involvement with the family. The agency had concerns regarding [Father and Mother’s] mental and emotional limitations; substandard home conditions including overcrowding, an overabundance of pets, atrocious and lingering stench of body odor and ammonia, and no running water; financial troubles; transportation problems, poor parenting skills; relationship problems; and lack of cooperation with available support services. [Father and Mother] cancelled initial home visits scheduled in May and June 2012. After [Father and Mother] failed to appear for appointments, the case was closed in June 2012. On August 27, 2012, [Mother] contacted CYS and requested that a caseworker meet with her and [Father] to develop a plan for their unborn son. [Father and Mother] failed to appear at the scheduled meeting on September 6, 2012. [Father and Mother] did not return the caseworker’s calls until September 10, 2012. The home visit was scheduled for September 11, 2012, but was not completed because [Child] was born that day.

On September 11, 2012, the Court granted CYS’s emergency petition for protective custody and ordered that [Child] be placed in foster care. The agency took custody of [Child] at the hospital. A hearing was held on September 13, 2012. At that time, reunification services were initiated with Family Intervention Crisis Services (“FICS”). [Father and Mother] have also received services from Centre County Base Service Unit, Centre County WIC, Catholic Social Services, and Clear Concepts. On September 19, 2012, after a dependency hearing, the Court declared [Child] a dependent child under the Pennsylvania Juvenile Act at 42 Pa.C.S. § 6302(1),[1]

1 A dependent child is defined as

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ordered that [Child] continue to remain in foster care, and ordered reunification. At review hearings on December 11, 2012, March 5, 2013, and April 2, 2013, the court continued reunification efforts due to [Father and Mother’s] moderate compliance with [Child’s] permanency plan. A goal change hearing scheduled for July 8, 2013 was continued to October 14, 2013. On October 14, 2013, after the hearing, the Court ordered [Child’s] placement goal be changed from “Return Home” to “Adoption” due to [Father and Mother’s] failure to progress toward alleviating the circumstances that necessitated the original placement.

Trial Ct. Op., 12/5/13, at 1-3.

At the hearing on April 2, 2013, Lindsay Schreffler, the CYS

caseworker, testified. N.T., 4/2/13, at 3.2 She indicated that a hearing was

held on March 5, 2013 and continued until April 2, 2013. On April 2nd, CYS

requested that services with FICS end due to Father’s and Mother’s lack of

A child who:

(1) is without proper parental care or control, subsistence, education as required by law, or other care or control necessary for his physical, mental, or emotional health, or morals. A determination that there is a lack of proper parental care or control may be based upon evidence of conduct by the parent, guardian or other custodian that places the health, safety or welfare of the child at risk, including evidence of the parent's, guardian's or other custodian's use of alcohol or a controlled substance that places the health, safety or welfare of the child at risk[.]

42 Pa.C.S. § 6302(1). 2 We note there are two transcripts in the certified record dated April 2, 2013. Instantly, we refer to the notes of testimony filed of record on December 13, 2013.

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progress in meeting the goals set for them. Id. at 4-5. CYS also “requested

a three-month review to change the goal from return home to adoption.”

Id. at 5. Ms. Schreffler testified as follows:

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In the Int. of: N.D.B., a Minor Appeal of: A.A.B., (Pa. Ct. App. 2014).

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