In the Interest of J.W., K.W., and G.J., Minor Children
K.W., Mother-Appellant
G.J., Father of G.J.-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Sara Strain Linder
Attorney for Appellant Father
Ellen R. Ramsey-Kacena
Attorney for Appellee State
Anna T. Stoeffler, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad litem
Anthony Haughton
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Johnson County, Jason A. Burns, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., Tabor, J., and Scott, S.J. Opinion by Scott, S.J. (17 pages)
Parents separately appeal the termination of their parental rights to their respective children. The father argues the Iowa Department of Human Services failed to make reasonable efforts to facilitate reunification and termination is not in his child’s best interests because a guardianship could have been established in the paternal grandmother. The mother challenges the sufficiency of the evidence underlying the grounds for termination cited by the juvenile court, argues termination is not in the children’s best interests due to the parent-child bond, and maintains she should have been granted additional time to work toward reunification. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the termination of both parents’ parental rights.
