in the Interest of J.D.R.G., Child v. Department of Family and Protective Services

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided November 27, 2018·No. 01-18-00469-CV·Published

Opinion

Opinion issued November 27, 2018

In The

Court of Appeals

For The

First District of Texas

required for termination and (2) termination was in her child’s best interest. See TEX. FAM. CODE § 161.001(b). We disagree and affirm.

Background

On March 7, 2016, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (“the Department”) received a referral for neglectful supervision of then seven- month-old J.D.R.G. (“J.D.R.G.”). The referral expressed concerned about J.N.G.’s (“Mother’s”) mental state after she threw herself on the floor of an emergency room, yelled she was dying, and left J.D.R.G. alone in a hospital room. The Department investigated, met with Mother, and observed J.D.R.G. Mother told the caseworker that she did not have mental health issues that would affect her child and she did not wish to be involved with the Department. Mother was referred to Family Based Safety Services.

Soon thereafter, the Department received a second referral for neglectful supervision of J.D.R.G. Mother had been arrested at a church, where she had previously been asked to leave. Before she was arrested, Mother threw herself on the ground, “went into a fit,” and yelled at law enforcement to kill her. J.D.R.G., who was with Mother at the time, was left in the care of a church member. Mother’s conduct resulted in a trespass conviction.

Although the church member kept J.D.R.G. for some time, the member eventually informed the caseworker that she could no longer care for J.D.R.G.

because Mother threatened her, so she no longer felt safe. At a family team meeting, Mother and J.D.R.G.’s father1 stated that they did not have any viable placement options for J.D.R.G.

The Department filed a petition for protection and conservatorship and for termination of both parents’ parental rights. The Department was granted emergency temporary managing conservatorship of J.D.R.G. and he was placed with a foster family. Following an adversary hearing, the court appointed the Department temporary managing conservator.

The court then ordered Mother to follow a family service plan. The plan set forth services and classes required before J.D.R.G. could return home. The plan required Mother to participate in parenting classes; maintain contact with J.D.R.G. through visits; establish and maintain stable housing for at least six months; participate in a psychological evaluation and psychiatric evaluation and follow all recommendations; participate in individual counseling and follow all recommendations; and maintain contact with her caseworker.

Nearly two years later, after several status and permanency hearings, the case proceeded to a bench trial. During the trial, the court heard testimony from the following witnesses:

1 The trial court also terminated J.D.R.G.’s father’s parental rights. He has not appealed that determination.

Janeka Russell. Janeka Russell, therapeutic case manager at Star of Hope, testified first. She explained that Mother initially qualified for a Star of Hope program that helps young women who have aged out of foster care and are expecting or have young children. While in the program, Mother could (and did) receive shelter, meals, and help applying for benefits.

Russell worked with Mother from October 2016 until February 2017, when Mother was terminated from the program after threatening Russell. In February 2017, Mother came to a meeting with Russell and wanted to discuss her “restriction” status, a punishment Mother experienced for failure to come to classes and for curfew violations. The restriction meant that Mother could not leave the building. Russell explained that she did not have the power to change the restriction. Mother then threatened Russell, prevented her from leaving the office or calling for help, and tried to start a fight. Russell attempted to call the front desk for help several times, but Mother hung up the phone each time. When Russell was finally able to call for help, she told the front desk to call 911, and Mother left her office. The police came but did not arrest Mother. Mother was terminated from the program, and Russell would not recommend that she be invited back.

Ramona Walton. Ramona Walton, Transitional Aged Youth and Family Services Manager at Star of Hope, testified that she asked Mother to leave after the incident with Russell. She explained that Star of Hope allowed Mother to return to

obtain her belongings, and when Mother did so, she angrily demanded to see other staff members. Walton said that although Mother attended some parenting and life skills classes, she did not complete either program.

Diana Schultz. Diana Schultz was, at the relevant time, the Department’s Supervisor for Investigations. She explained that Mother threatened the caregiver in J.D.R.G.’s Parental Child Safety Placement, and the caregiver called Schultz to retrieve J.D.R.G. Mother denied threatening anyone.

Schultz also explained that Mother had a history with the Department. An initial report expressed concerns for J.D.R.G.’s safety, but the investigation was closed.

Mother. Mother testified on several topics. For one, she said that she currently took no medications for her depression except for fish oil. She said that her doctor told her she could take fish oil or prescribed medications, even though her medical records showed prescriptions for three medications and no fish oil.

Mother disclosed that she had two unplanned pregnancies while J.D.R.G. was in the Department’s care. On the day she testified, she was five months pregnant; she also had a miscarriage in July 2017. She said that she was receiving prenatal care from a midwife. But she could not provide the last name of the midwife.

Mother testified that, in May 2016, she was held on a mental health warrant after going to the hospital with suicidal ideations then demanding to be released. She

admitted that she has had suicidal thoughts for years and frequently goes to the hospital. The thousands of pages of medical records evidence the frequency with which Mother visited hospitals.

As far as housing, Mother testified that she had lived in at least three different places with friends during the pendency of her case. She also lived at Star of Hope (the program discussed above) until she was terminated from the program. She said that she signed a lease for an apartment where she lived at the time.

As to her employment, she testified to minimal employment in the 23 months since her son was placed in foster care. She said that she worked at Luby’s for six weeks and received one paycheck. She also said that she worked at Ike’s BBQ, although she had no documentation to prove it. Finally, she testified that she worked for six weeks at a Harris County youth program.

Regarding therapy, she testified that she stopped seeing the Department-

referred therapist because she found scheduling to be a “headache.” She said she had a new therapist.

When asked about her criminal history, she admitted she had been charged with crimes on numerous occasions and she had been arrested and jailed twice since the Department became involved with J.D.R.G.’s care. She was arrested was due to the above-mentioned altercation at a church. She was also arrested for assaulting a former boyfriend, and she failed to attend court. In November 2017, she was charged

with making a false police report. Finally, she described an incident at a prior court date in which she said that police “escorted” her to the courtroom, but she admitted that she had been detained.

Mother testified that she believed she substantially complied with her service plan.

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in the Interest of J.D.R.G., Child v. Department of Family and Protective Services, (Tex. Ct. App. 2018).

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