Summary
This Delaware Supreme Court order affirms the Family Court's judgment terminating the appellant mother's parental rights over her three daughters. The lower court determined by clear and convincing evidence that termination was appropriate due to the mother's failure to adequately plan for the children's needs and the unexplained death of another child in her care. After reviewing the record and counsel's motion to withdraw, the Supreme Court found the appeal wholly without merit and affirmed the termination.
Topics
Practice areas
Questions Presented
- Whether the Family Court's termination of the mother's parental rights was proper under Delaware law.
Holdings
- The Family Court's judgment terminating the mother's parental rights is affirmed.
Key quotations
“We therefore conclude that Mother’s appeal is wholly without merit and devoid of any arguably appealable issues.”
Factual background
Mother Dawn Leroy is the mother of three children. After the death of a four‑year‑old biological daughter of the mother's paramour while in the mother's care, the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families petitioned for emergency custody and later moved to terminate the mother's parental rights on grounds of failure to plan for the children's needs and alleged neglect. The Family Court terminated the mother's parental rights.
Procedural history
The Family Court held evidentiary hearings, found clear and convincing evidence that the mother failed to plan for the children's needs and that the termination was in the children's best interests, and terminated the mother's parental rights. The mother appealed.