In the Interest of A.R. and M.R., Minor Children
J.R., Mother-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Sara E. Benson
Attorney for Appellee State
Ellen Ramsey-Kacena, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Norm L. Springer Jr.
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County, Charles D. Fagan, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Tabor, P.J., and May and Greer, JJ. Opinion by Tabor, P.J. (8 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to two children, aged two and five. She contests the statutory grounds for termination, argues the State failed to make reasonable reunification efforts, and asserts termination would be detrimental due to the closeness of the parent-child relationship. OPINION HOLDS: The mother’s ongoing substance-abuse and personal issues render her home unsafe for a return of the children’s custody, so the State proved the statutory ground for termination by clear and convincing evidence. The mother failed to preserve error on her reasonable-efforts challenge. She also failed to show the termination would be detrimental to the children. Accordingly, we affirm the termination of her parental rights.
