In the Matter of the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of: B.W., Minor Child B.F., Father, and W.W., Mother v. The Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.)

Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided December 21, 2015·No. 21A05-1505-JT-511·Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), this Dec 21 2015, 6:28 am Memorandum Decision shall not be regarded as precedent or cited before any court except for the purpose of establishing the defense of res judicata, collateral estoppel, or the law of the case.

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE MOTHER Gregory F. Zoeller Leanna Weissmann Attorney General of Indiana Lawrenceburg, Indiana Robert J. Henke

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT David E. Corey FATHER Deputy Attorneys General Jeffrey E. Stratman Indianapolis, Indiana Aurora, Indiana

IN THE

COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

In the Matter of the Termination December 21, 2015 of the Parent-Child Relationship Court of Appeals Case No. of: B.W., Minor Child 21A05-1505-JT-511 Appeal from the Fayette Circuit Court

B.F., Father, and W.W., Mother, Appellants-Respondents, The Honorable Jack A. Tandy, Senior Judge

v. The Honorable Beth A. Butsch, Judge

The Indiana Department of Child Trial Court Cause No.

Services, 21C01-1412-JT-324

Appellee-Petitioner.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 21A05-1505-JT-511 | December 21, 2015 Page 1 of 18

Brown, Judge.

[1] W.W. (“Mother”) and B.F. (“Father”) appeal the involuntary termination of their parental rights with respect to their son B.W. Mother and Father raise one issue, which we revise and restate as whether the evidence is sufficient to support the termination of their parental rights. We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History [2] On July 30, 2003, B.W. was born. On May 20, 2011, Father pled guilty to dealing in a narcotic drug as a class B felony and being an habitual offender. On June 17, 2011, the trial court sentenced Father to the Department of Correction (“DOC”) for twelve and one-half years, enhanced by ten years for his status as an habitual offender, for an aggregate sentence of twenty-two and one-half years. In 2012, Mother was convicted of possession of a controlled substance.1

[3] In June 2013, DCS received reports alleging a lack of supervision of B.W., that Mother was using drugs, and that B.W. was a victim/perpetrator of sex abuse. Kathy Hobson, a DCS family case manager supervisor, went to the home and “found that the allegations were true.” Transcript at 46.

1 At the December 3, 2014 hearing, Mother was asked when she was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, and she replied: “Um, just about two years ago I think.” Transcript at 18. The record does not reveal Mother’s sentence for her conviction.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 21A05-1505-JT-511 | December 21, 2015 Page 2 of 18

[4] On July 12, 2013, DCS filed a verified petition alleging that B.W. was a child in need of services (“CHINS”). DCS alleged that B.W. had exhibited sexually maladaptive behaviors including anally penetrating his five-year-old cousin and performing fellatio on him. DCS also alleged that B.W. started fires in his home and that Mother’s ability to care for and manage B.W.’s behavior was impaired by her drug use.

[5] On July 16, 2013, the court entered an Order on Initial/Detention Hearing. The court found that Father denied the allegations and that Mother admitted the allegations. The court appointed an attorney for Father and ordered that the detention of B.W. was authorized or necessary to protect him and that it was in his best interests to remove him from the home environment. On August 14, 2013, the court entered an Order on Admission in which it found that both parents admitted the allegation that B.W. was a CHINS.

[6] On September 6, 2013, the court entered an Order of Participation and a Dispositional Order. The court found that Mother and Father admitted that B.W. had exhibited sexually maladaptive behaviors including anally penetrating his five-year-old cousin and performing fellatio on him. The court also found that B.W. was a CHINS because he started fires in his home and Mother’s ability to care for and manage his behavior was impaired by her drug abuse. The court ordered Mother to contact the case manager every week, allow the family case manager to make announced and unannounced visits to the home, enroll in recommended services, keep all appointments, not use controlled substances, complete a substance abuse assessment and follow all Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 21A05-1505-JT-511 | December 21, 2015 Page 3 of 18 treatment recommendations, submit to random drug screens, and maintain suitable, safe, and stable housing. At some point, Mother moved to Richmond despite service providers discouraging her from moving away from her support and family in Fayette County.

[7] On December 30, 2013, the court entered an Order on Periodic Case Review finding that Mother and Father were incarcerated. On March 21, 2014, the court entered an Order on Periodic Case Review in which the court found that Mother had not enhanced her ability to fulfill her parental obligations.

[8] On June 30, 2014, the court entered an Order Approving Permanency Plan in which it found that Mother failed to participate in outpatient substance abuse treatment on three occasions, declined inpatient treatment, and tested positive for hydromorphone, morphine, Alprazolam, and hydrocodone. The court found that Father remained incarcerated and was unable to fulfill parental obligations, and appointed counsel for Mother. On September 10, 2014, the court entered an Order on Periodic Case Review finding that the projected date for B.W.’s adoption was March 2015.

[9] On October 24, 2014, Family Case Manager (FCM) Melissa Sparks, drove to Richmond to pick up Mother, who did not have an automobile, to take her to Connersville for a family team meeting to discuss visitations and services, but Mother did not answer the door at 8:15 a.m. and later said that her alarm did not go off and she had overslept. On November 21, 2014, Mother called Sparks and said that she wanted to meet with her the following Monday. Sparks told

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 21A05-1505-JT-511 | December 21, 2015 Page 4 of 18 her that she was more than willing to do that; however, Mother then failed to contact her. Meanwhile, in September 2014, Mother completed treatment at Tara Treatment Centers, but she did not follow through with the recommended services including outpatient substance abuse treatment, individual therapy, attendance at A.A. meetings, and maintaining contact with a sponsor.

[10] On December 3, 2014, the court held a review hearing. At the hearing, Sparks testified that Mother completed treatment at Tara Treatment Center in October 2014, but did not consistently stay in contact with her, and that B.W. attempted to call Mother twice and was unable to contact her. Melanie Bailey, the court appointed special advocate (CASA), testified that she recommended that B.W. stay in his current placement, that B.W. loves Mother, that Mother “has refused services offered to her from Centerstone,” and that she refused “life skills, basic skills . . . .” Id. at 22.

[11] On December 4, 2014, DCS filed a Verified Petition for Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights. On December 17, 2014, the court held an initial hearing and appointed counsel for Mother and Father.

[12] Meanwhile, on December 11, 2014, DCS filed a Motion to Modify Dispositional Decree requesting that a change in the permanency plan to adoption was appropriate, and that cessation of DCS provided services was appropriate because Mother and Father had not complied with them and/or failed to benefit from the services. On January 14, 2015, the court held a hearing on DCS’s motion and granted it by approving the change of the

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 21A05-1505-JT-511 | December 21, 2015 Page 5 of 18 permanency plan to adoption and approving DCS’s request that services to parents cease. The court also stated:

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In the Matter of the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of: B.W., Minor Child B.F., Father, and W.W., Mother v. The Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.), (Ind. Ct. App. 2015).

In the Matter of the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of: B.W., Minor Child B.F., Father, and W.W., Mother v. The Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.) (In the Matter of the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of: B.W., Minor Child B.F., Father, and W.W., Mother v. The Indiana Department of Child Services (mem. dec.)) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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