In the Interest of: J.S. Appeal of: G.S.

CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJune 22, 2015
Docket2582 EDA 2014
StatusUnpublished

This text of In the Interest of: J.S. Appeal of: G.S. (In the Interest of: J.S. Appeal of: G.S.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania 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: J.S. Appeal of: G.S., (Pa. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

J-S10029-15

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

IN THE INTEREST OF: J.S., A MINOR : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF : PENNSYLVANIA : : APPEAL OF: G.S., FATHER : No. 2582 EDA 2014

Appeal from the Order Entered July 22, 2014 In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County Family Court at No(s): CP-51-DP-0001440-2014

BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J., STABILE, and PLATT,* JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY GANTMAN, P.J.: FILED JUNE 22, 2015

Appellant, G.S. (“Father”), appeals from the order entered in the

Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, which adjudicated his minor

daughter, J.S. (“Child”), dependent and committed her to the Department of

Human Services (“DHS”). We affirm.

In its opinion, the trial court fully and correctly set forth the relevant

facts and procedural history of this case. Therefore, we have no reason to

restate them. We add only that Father timely filed a notice of appeal and

concise statement of errors complained of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P.

1925(a)(2)(i) on August 13, 2014.

Father raises six issues for our review:

DID THE COURT ERRONEOUSLY ADJUDICATE CHILD DEPENDENT?

DID THE COURT ERRONEOUSLY ORDER THAT CHILD BE PLACED? _____________________________

*Retired Senior Judge assigned to the Superior Court. J-S10029-15

DID THE COURT ERRONEOUSLY ORDER THAT DHS MAY CONSENT FOR MEDICATION FOR CHILD WITHOUT [FATHER’S] PERMISSION?

DID THE COURT ERRONEOUSLY FAIL TO ORDER THAT AN INTERSTATE COMPACT OCCUR FORTHWITH?

DID THE COURT ERRONEOUSLY ORDER [FATHER] TO HAVE A PSYCHOLOGICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION?

DID THE COURT ERRONEOUSLY RESTRICT [FATHER’S] VISITATION WITH HIS CHILD, AS TO HER DISCRETION?

(Father’s Brief at 2).1

After a thorough review of the record, the briefs of the parties, the

applicable law, and the well-reasoned opinion of the Honorable Vincent L.

Johnson, we conclude Father’s first, second, third, and fourth issues merit no

relief. The trial court opinion comprehensively discusses and properly

disposes of those issues. (See Trial Court Opinion, filed September 12,

2014, at 9-12; 17-18; 19-20) (finding: (issues 1 and 2) court heard

testimony from several witnesses and carefully considered all evidence

presented at adjudicatory hearing; testimony revealed that Father’s home

was in deplorable condition and was not appropriate for Child; specifically,

both DHS social worker and Child Advocate social worker testified that

Father’s home was extremely dirty, cluttered, and had repugnant odor; one

social worker could not even complete her inspection of Father’s kitchen

because foul odor was so strong; by Father’s own admission, there were ____________________________________________ 1 For purposes of disposition, we have reordered Father’s issues.

-2- J-S10029-15

numerous fruit flies in house and litter box had not been cleaned for some

time; additionally, social workers noted flies living in refrigerator among food

available for Child to eat; there were also fire hazards in Father’s house, as

home had no working smoke detectors or fire extinguishers; there was

excessive clutter and debris in house, as well as peeling walls and ceilings;

Father refused to permit social workers to access third floor of home, in clear

violation of court’s order to allow DHS to access entire home; based on

Father’s refusal to let social workers access third floor, whether potentially

unsafe or dangerous conditions exist on third floor remains unknown;

Father’s home has no doors on any rooms in house, which intrudes on

Child’s privacy; DHS social worker testified that paternal grandmother (who

lives with Father and Child) bathes 13-year-old Child, which makes Child

uncomfortable;2 Father said he was unaware paternal grandmother bathes

Child; Father’s family had previous history with DHS regarding similar

allegations of hoarding and deplorable conditions in home; DHS social

worker testified that Father’s home was inappropriate for Child; court found

____________________________________________ 2 Father claims the DHS social worker’s testimony about paternal grandmother bathing Child constituted inadmissible hearsay. Father did not object to this testimony at the dependency hearing or raise this complaint in his Rule 1925(a)(2)(i) statement, so it is waived. See In re S.C.B., 990 A.2d 762 (Pa.Super. 2010) (explaining that to preserve issue for appellate review, party must make timely and specific objection at appropriate stage of proceedings before trial court; failure to timely object to basic and fundamental error will result in waiver of issue on appeal); Ramer v. Ramer, 914 A.2d 894 (Pa.Super. 2006) (stating issues not raised in concise statement of errors complained of on appeal are waived).

-3- J-S10029-15

testimony of DHS’ witnesses credible; court also saw numerous pictures of

Father’s house in which court could see home was deplorable and looked like

burnt-out home; court also heard testimony about Child’s unaddressed

mental health issues; Child has been diagnosed with schizophrenia; DHS

social worker observed Child talking to herself extensively and pacing back

and forth; Father stated Child’s behavior is “normal” for 13-year-old without

mother or siblings; Father admitted he did not follow-up on scheduling

appointment for Child’s mental health evaluation despite informing Child’s

school that he would schedule appointment for Child; court was also

concerned with Father’s mental health, based on DHS social worker’s

interactions with Father and fact that Father had received mental health

services in past and had been hospitalized for mental health treatment;3

based on totality of evidence, DHS presented clear and convincing evidence

that Child lacks proper parental care and control; Child cannot grow and

develop properly in Father’s home; allowing Child to remain in Father’s home

would be contrary to Child’s health, safety, and welfare; thus, court properly

adjudicated Child dependent under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 6302, and committed her

to DHS; (issue 3) court had authority under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 6339(b) to

permit DHS to consent to medical care and mental health treatment for ____________________________________________ 3 Father contends on appeal that the DHS social worker’s testimony about Father’s past mental health treatment was based on a lack of foundation and constituted inadmissible hearsay. Father did not raise these claims in his concise statement of errors complained of on appeal, so they are waived. See id.

-4- J-S10029-15

Child; in fashioning order, court sought to ensure Child receives appropriate

medical treatment, especially given serious concerns about Child’s mental

health; (issue 4) Child’s maternal grandparents reside in Arkansas; court’s

order adjudicating Child dependent makes clear that DHS must explore

inter-state compact for Arkansas forthwith; thus, Father’s issue is moot4).

Accordingly, with respect to Father’s first, second, third, and fourth issues on

appeal, we affirm on the basis of the trial court’s opinion.

In his fifth issue, Father argues the trial court lacked legal authority to

compel him to submit to a psychological evaluation. Father relies on In re

T.R., 557 Pa. 99, 731 A.2d 1276 (1999) (plurality), which Father claims

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