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In the Interest of S.A., G.H., and F.B., Minor Children
A.H., Mother-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Eric J. Palmer
Attorney for Appellee State
Ellen Ramsey-Kacena, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Denise McKelvie Gonyea
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Mahaska County, Rose Anne Mefford, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Doyle, P.J., Greer, J., and Gamble, S.J. Opinion by Greer, J. (5 pages)
The mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to three of her children, G.H., born in 2010; S.A., born in 2013; and F.B., born in 2018. The juvenile court terminated the mother’s parental rights pursuant to Iowa Code section 232.116(1)(f) (G.H. and S.A.), (h) (F.B.), and (l) (all three children) (2020). She maintains the court was wrong to find the children could not be returned to her care at the time of the termination hearing or, in the alternative, maintains that an additional period of time would correct the situation and allow for reunification. OPINION HOLDS: Insofar as the mother preserved a claim the children could be returned at the time of the termination hearing, we find they could not be safely returned. And, relying only on the record properly before us, we cannot say another six months would allow them to safely return to her care. We affirm the termination of the mother’s parental rights to these three children.