In the Interest of C.M., E.M., and C.M., Minor Children
S.W., Mother-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Katie Reidy Abel
Attorney for Appellee State
Michelle R. Becker, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Sue Kirk
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Johnson County, Joan M. Black, Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered without oral argument by Tabor, C.J., and Ahlers and Langholz, JJ. Opinion by Ahlers, J. (8 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights. She challenges the statutory grounds authorizing termination, contends the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services failed to make reasonable efforts toward reunification, argues termination is not in the children’s best interests, and requests additional time to work toward reunification. OPINION HOLDS: We reject the mother’s reasonable-efforts challenge and find a statutory ground for termination satisfied because the children cannot be safely returned to the mother’s custody. Termination is in the children’s best interests, and we do not grant the mother any additional time to work toward reunification. Accordingly, we affirm the termination of the mother’s parental rights.
