In the Interest of: K.J.L.

Opinion

]n tbc ;!Missouri qtourt of �ppcals �astern 1!listrict DIVISION TWO

IN THE INTEREST OF: K.J.L. ) No. EDl 10726 ) ) Appeal from the Circuit Court of ) St. Charles County ) ) Hon. W. Christopher McDonough ) ) FILED: October 3, 2023

Introduction

N.M.L. ("Grandmother") and C.E.L., Sr. ("Grandfather") (collectively, the

"Grandparents") appeal from the trial court's judgment dismissing their petition for relative

adoption and termination of parental rights over their grandson, K.J.L. Grandparents raise two

points on appeal arguing the trial court erred in dismissing their petition because substantial and

competent evidence showed Mother abandoned or neglected K.J.L. under Section 453.040(7), 1

respectively. Because the record supported the trial court's determination that Mother neither

abandoned nor neglected K.J.L., the trial court did not err in declining to terminate Mother's

parental rights and thereby mooting Grandparents' petition for relative adoption. Accordingly,

we affirm the trial court's judgment.

1 All Section references are to RSMo (2016).