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In the Interest of L.S., Minor Child
K.N. and Z.P., Intervenors-Appellants
Attorney for Appellants
Erin E. Jordan
Attorney for Appellee State
Michelle R. Becker, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Jane White
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Romonda Belcher, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Tabor, P.J., and Badding and Chicchelly, JJ. Opinion by Badding, J. (14 pages)
Intervenors appeal the juvenile court’s dispositional order in a child-in-need-of-assistance proceeding, which denied their motion for modification of placement of L.S. They argue the court erred in not finding the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services acted unreasonably and irresponsibly in reaching its placement decision, the department and juvenile court “impermissibly relied upon race and national origin” as factors in determining L.S.’s placement, and the court improperly adopted a permanency plan that did not exist. OPINION HOLDS: On our de novo review of the record, we find the intervenors did not meet their burden to prove that the department failed to act in the child’s best interests by unreasonably or irresponsibly failing to discharge its duties in selecting a suitable placement for the child. As a result, we affirm the juvenile court’s denial of their motion to modify placement and reject their ancillary claims.
