In the Interest of L.N. and L.S., Minor Children
C.B., Mother-Appellant
D.S., Father-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Joseph W. Kertels
Attorney for Appellant Father
Teresa Ann O'Brien
Attorney for Appellee State
Kathryn K. Lang, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Molly Vakulskas Joly
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, Mark C. Cord III, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Ahlers, P.J., and Badding and Chicchelly, JJ. Opinion by Ahlers, P.J. (9 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their respective parental rights. Both challenge the statutory grounds authorizing termination and whether the juvenile court should have given them the full six months of a previously granted extension to work toward reunification. The mother also argues termination is not in the children’s best interests and that her bond with the children should preclude termination. OPINION HOLDS: The children could not be safely returned to either parent, so statutory grounds authorizing termination were met. The court was not required to wait the full six months of the previously granted extension before terminating the parents’ rights. Termination of the mother’s rights was in the children’s best interests. And the mother’s bond with the children was not strong enough to preclude termination.
