In the Interest of Stevenson

27 S.W.3d 195, 2000 WL 1210813
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedAugust 18, 2000
Docket04-98-00893-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 27 S.W.3d 195 (In the Interest of Stevenson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas 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 Stevenson, 27 S.W.3d 195, 2000 WL 1210813 (Tex. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinions

OPINION

Opinion by:

PHIL HARDBERGER, Chief Justice.

On its own motion, the panel withdraws its original opinion and judgment dated March 8, 2000. This opinion and judgment are substituted. The opinion is revised to clarify that if parental termination is sought under section 161.001(l)(D)of the Texas Family Code, the trial court must instinct the jury that it must find by clear and convincing evidence that the parent knew the child was his when he engaged in the conduct proscribed by section 161.001(1)(D). However, if parental termination is sought under section 161.001(1)(E), the trial court is not required to give such an instruction, because such knowledge is not required. In this case, the jury charge permitted the jury to terminate parental rights if it determined that the parent, Rene Grant, engaged in conduct proscribed by section 161.001(1)(D) or 161.001(1)(E). The jury could have determined that Grant engaged in conduct proscribed by section 161.001(1)(D), but did not engage in conduct proscribed by section 161.001(1)(E). Therefore, Grant was entitled to the instruction as it related to section 161.001(1)(D).

Grant appeals an order terminating his parental rights to Kenya Stevenson (“Kenya”). Grant presents two issues in his brief, arguing that: (1) the trial court erred in denying his requested jury instruction; and (2) the evidence is insufficient to support the jury’s answers to the questions about Grant knowingly committing any acts or omissions which endangered Kenya.1 We sustain Grant’s first [198]*198issue and reverse the trial court’s order, but only to the extent that it terminates the parent-child relationship between Grant and Kenya.

Factual and Procedural History

The well-being of Kenya, his older sister (Paris), and younger brother (Malcolm) was first investigated by Child Protective Services (“CPS”) in 1996, when questions were raised regarding their mother’s mental stability and her failure to seek medical treatment for one of the children. A CPS worker visited the home in August of 1996 and offered counseling, which was Refused. The case was closed when the CPS worker determined that the grandmother was also residing in the home with the children, the house was clean, and the children were regularly attending school.

In April of 1997, another referral was made regarding the welfare of Kenya, Paris and Malcolm. The referral stated that: (1) their mother was walking around the housing project incoherent, claiming men had taken her body parts, (2) the children were allowed to remain outside at all hours unsupervised and were being disruptive to property, and (3) the grandmother was not supervising the children. When a CPS worker first attempted to visit Kenya’s mother, Cheryl Stevenson (“Cheryl”), regarding the referral, Cheryl denied the CPS worker entrance to the home, stating that they had been exposed to hepatitis. The CPS worker told Cheryl to get the children checked. The CPS worker subsequently determined that the children had been taken to the doctor, but Cheryl did not notify CPS.

When the CPS worker made her second visit, Malcolm had a bump on his head. No medical attention had been sought because Cheryl blamed Malcolm for falling down the stairs after she told him to stay upstairs. During that visit, the children stated that they were being left alone and that their mother would fight with invisible people. The children also stated that their mother believed cameras had been planted in their apartment. Cheryl informed the CPS worker that Paris had been born addicted to cocaine, but Cheryl claimed that she had not used drugs or alcohol since Paris’s birth. Cheryl also confirmed that her internal reproductive organs had been removed by two men, who were managers with the San Antonio Housing Authority. The CPS worker testified that the children were not attending school on a regular basis. The assistance offered by the CPS worker was refused. At that time, the children’s grandmother was in the San Antonio State Hospital, diagnosed as schizophrenic.

On July 16,1997, CPS workers returned to the home with a verbal order from Judge Sakai to remove the children from the home. Cheryl refused to surrender the children, wielding a knife and hammer and yelling profanities. The police ultimately convinced Cheryl to give the children to her sister. Cheryl released the children, but fought with police when the children were placed in a CPS vehicle. Cheryl was arrested as a result.

Cheryl identified Christopher Harris as the father of Paris and Malcolm. Cheryl also identified Grant as Kenya’s father. Cheryl informed the CPS worker that Grant was in the Texas Department of Corrections (“TDC”) for 15 years for crack cocaine. The CPS worker testified that she never attempted to locate an alleged father in jail based on a name, because she had been told that more information was needed, i.e., a social security number or SID number.

After the children were taken into custody, Diana Gonzalez was assigned the case. She developed service plans for Cheryl, Harris and Grant. Gonzalez testified that she is required to develop a service plan for each of the identified parents even if she does not know the whereabouts of a parent. The service plans are revised and approved by the court every six months. One of the items identified in Cheryl’s plan was the need for a psychiatric and psycho[199]*199logical evaluation, but Cheryl failed to show up for the scheduled appointments.

In January of 1998, Diana Gonzalez discovered that Kenya’s' father was out of prison and living in San Antonio. Gonzalez first contacted Grant’s parole officer on March 80, 1998, and the parole officer stated that Grant would be given the information. On April 7, 1998, Gonzalez contacted the parole officer again, and the parole officer stated that she had given Grant the information. The parole officer also told Gonzalez that Grant stated that he was Kenya’s father. The parole officer gave Gonzalez an inaccurate phone number for Grant, and Gonzalez did not get a correct phone number until June of 1998. On June 8, 1998, Grant met with Gonzalez. Grant told Gonzalez that he had been out of prison for eight months and was staying at Victory Gospel. Grant was diagnosed as a schizophrenic, was seeing a psychiatrist and taking medication. Grant stated that he was going to pray about what he should do. Grant testified that he knew Cheryl’s children were in foster care, but did not know the situation was serious. Gonzalez testified that Grant’s statement that he did not know Kenya was his son conflicted with his earlier statement regarding his knowledge that Kenya was in foster care.

A week later, Grant was offered the most current plan of service. During a July 23, 1998 staffing regarding the children, Grant was present and stated that he did not know about Kenya until he was contacted by CPS. Cheryl’s mother contradicted Grant’s statement and asserted that he did have knowledge of his paternity-

On August 5, 1998, Cheryl delivered a fourth baby, who was addicted to cocaine. Cheryl identified Grant as the father. On August 13, 1998, Cheryl and Grant were ordered to get tested for drug use. Grant tested negative. Gonzalez testified that while awaiting the testing, she overheard Grant apologizing to Cheryl for starting her on crack. González stated that she believed Grant was aware that he fathered Kenya, and was aware of Cheryl’s lifestyle. By leaving Kenya in Cheryl’s care, Gonzalez testified that Grant knowingly endangered Kenya.

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In the Interest of Stevenson
27 S.W.3d 195 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2000)

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Bluebook (online)
27 S.W.3d 195, 2000 WL 1210813, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-the-interest-of-stevenson-texapp-2000.