In the Interest of E.C.R., Child

402 S.W.3d 239, 56 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 666, 2013 WL 2660130, 2013 Tex. LEXIS 473
CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedJune 14, 2013
Docket12-0744
StatusPublished
Cited by699 cases

This text of 402 S.W.3d 239 (In the Interest of E.C.R., Child) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In the Interest of E.C.R., Child, 402 S.W.3d 239, 56 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 666, 2013 WL 2660130, 2013 Tex. LEXIS 473 (Tex. 2013).

Opinion

Chief Justice JEFFERSON

delivered the opinion of the Court.

We require the State to overcome significant burdens before removing a child from his parent. These impediments are essential to protect the parent’s fundamental liberty interest in the companionship, care, custody, and management of her children. 1 But “[j]ust as it is imperative for courts to recognize the constitutional underpinnings of the parent-child relationship, it is also essential that emotional and physical interests of the child not be sacrificed merely to preserve that right.” In re C.H., 89 S.W.3d 17, 26 (Tex.2002). 2

The Family Code allows a court to terminate a parent’s rights to her child if the child has been in the State’s custody for at least nine months, and the State proves, by clear and convincing evidence, that the parent failed to comply with a court order that specified what she had to do to get her child back. Tex. Fam.Code § 161.001(1)(O). The provision applies, however, only if the child was removed from the parent under Family Code Chapter 262 for “abuse or neglect of the child.” Id. We must decide whether abuse or neglect includes placing the child’s physical health or safety at substantial risk, as outlined below. Because we conclude that it does, and because the parent’s abuse or neglect of another child is relevant to that determination, we reverse in part the court of appeals’ judgment and remand the case to that court.

1. Background

After M.R. was seen punching and dragging her four-year-old daughter, Y. C., by her ponytail down the street, a witness called the authorities. M.R.’s eight-month-old son, E.C.R., was not present during this incident. The police found that Y.C. had fresh bruising on her face, dried blood inside her nose, cuts on her forehead and lips, and multiple scrapes. The police arrested M.R., who denied causing the injuries but later pleaded guilty to bodily injury to a child, a third-degree felony. The Department of Family and Protective Services received a referral of physical abuse of Y.C., who was sent to live with her father. After its investigation, the Department placed E.C.R., whose paternity was undetermined, with foster parents.

The Department took possession of E.C.R. under Family Code section 262.104, which authorizes possession without a court order if circumstances would lead a person of ordinary prudence and caution to believe that the child faced “an immediate danger to [his] physical health or safety.” Tex. Fam.Code § 262.104. The next day, the Department filed a petition seeking conservatorship of E.C.R. and termination of M.R.’s parental rights. The petition was supported by a six-page affidavit recounting the circumstances necessitating *241 E.C.R.’s removal. The affidavit described the allegations of physical abuse of Y.C. and also noted that M.R. had a prior CPS case involving physical abuse of an older son, who was in the permanent managing conservatorship of foster parents. M.R. told caseworker Cyntera Donatto that she had twice attempted suicide while spending three days in jail for the incident involving Y.C. After being released from jail, M.R. slept on the streets and left E.C.R. with her boyfriend at his home. M.R. told Donatto that the boyfriend physically abused her and was not stable. A criminal background check revealed that he had been arrested seven times over the past decade for theft, burglary, driving with an invalid license, and evading arrest. The day after she met with M.R., Donatto learned that M.R. had again been incarcerated.

Donatto observed E.C.R. and noted that, unlike Y.C., there were no evident signs that E.C.R. had been physically abused. He appeared clean, healthy, and developmentally on target. But his mother’s history of abusing her other children, her fragile mental state, and her criminal ease and incarceration persuaded Donatto that E.C.R. should not be left in M.R.’s care. Because E.C.R.’s paternity was unknown, the Department sought to be named his temporary managing conservator.

That day, the trial court found that E.C.R. had been removed pursuant to section 262.104 and that he faced a continuing danger to his physical health or safety if returned to M.R. The trial court also found that the nature of the emergency and the continuing danger to E.C.R.’s welfare made his return to M.R. impossible or unreasonable. The court set the matter for a full adversary hearing within fourteen days.

After that hearing the trial court found sufficient evidence to satisfy a person of ordinary prudence and caution that:

(1) there was a danger to the physical health or safety of the child which was caused by an act or failure to act of the person entitled to possession and for the child to remain in the home is contrary to the welfare of the child; (2) the urgent need for protection required the immediate removal of the child and makes efforts to eliminate or prevent the child’s removal impossible or unreasonable; and (3) notwithstanding reasonable efforts to eliminate the need for the child’s removal and enable the child to return home, there is a substantial risk of a continuing danger if the child is returned home.

The court appointed the Department temporary managing conservator and ordered M.R. to comply -with the service plan. See Tex. Fam.Code §§ 263.101-.106. The court warned M.R. that her failure to do so could result in the termination of her parental rights. See id. §§ 161.001(1)(O), 263.106.

At a subsequent status hearing, the trial court signed additional temporary orders setting the conditions for E.C.R.’s return to M.R. M.R. had to complete a psychiatric examination and follow all recommendations; complete a psychological examination and follow all recommendations; participate in counseling, including individual, group, or family therapy sessions; complete parenting classes; complete random drug tests; remain drug free; refrain from engaging in criminal activity; maintain stable housing; maintain stable employment; successfully complete domestic violence and anger management classes; and complete all services outlined in the Family Service Plan. The court found that M.R. reviewed and understood the service plan and was advised that unless she was will *242 ing and able to provide E.C.R. with a safe environment within the time specified in the plan, her parental rights could be terminated.

Almost a year later, the trial court held a termination hearing. M.R. gave limited testimony. She admitted being served with citation and receiving deferred adjudication for causing injury to a child, but she denied ever telling the caseworker that E.C.R. was not living in a safe environment. She provided the names of two men who might be E.C.R.’s father. She admitted having a prior CPS case that went to final orders, and that she no longer had custody of that child.

The Department representative testified that E.C.R.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
402 S.W.3d 239, 56 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 666, 2013 WL 2660130, 2013 Tex. LEXIS 473, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-the-interest-of-ecr-child-tex-2013.