Through the Eyes of the Child Initiative

Filed on January 17, 2012
Not designated for permanent publication, A-11-593
SUMMARY: Termination of parental rights was in the child’s best interests because the father made little effort to be involved in the case, to communicate with the caseworker or his attorney or to have a relationship with the child. 
Jasminiah S., DOB 4/05, was removed from the [...]

Filed on October 11, 2011
19 Neb. App. 259, ____ N.W.2d ____
SUMMARY: The newly enacted statute removing the presumption that the case plan is in the child’s best interests is applicable to an already-pending case because it only affects a procedural right. DHHS must offer reasonable efforts to a parent whose goal is reunification to [...]

Filed on September 6, 2011
Not designated for permanent publication, A-11-215
SUMMARY: Termination of parental rights was proper where after two years of services was unable to provide even the most minimal requirements for parenting and could not provide permanency or stability. 
Cheyenne, DOB 12/05, was formally removed from the mother, Melody, on December 29, 2008, after the [...]

Filed on September 6, 2011
Not designated for permanent publication, A-11-169
SUMMARY: Termination of parental rights was proper where the mother failed to attend appointments and visits, had little progress in therapy, had unstable employment and did not provide adequate food for the child. The judge’s denial to recuse herself was proper where there was only [...]

Filed on August 9, 2011
Not designated for permanent publication, A-11-115, A-11-116
SUMMARY: Termination of parental rights was proper where the children had been in foster care for a substantial period of time, where the father had been incarcerated off and on during that time and had only sporadically visited the children. 
Tyler W., DOB 5/07, and Landon [...]

Filed on July 5, 2011
Not designated for permanent publication, A-10-1036
SUMMARY: Termination was in the children’s best interest where the mother failed to comply with the rehabilitation plan despite assistance from state workers, which included additional efforts addressing cultural barriers. 
Dut A., DOB 1/96, and Akon A., DOB 11/99 were removed from the care of the mother, [...]

Filed on December 7, 2010
18 Neb. App. 718, 791 N.W.2d 765
SUMMARY: Termination of parental rights was improper as to the children not connected to the inappropriate sexual contact because the parents established significant progress in their ability to care and protect the children. However, with the children involved in the sexual assault, the parents [...]

Filed on September 28, 2010
Not designated for permanent publication, A-10-274
SUMMARY: Termination was improper where the mother had substantially complied with virtually every requirement specified by the court, had improved significantly as a parent and, while there were still some concerns about the cleanliness of the home, there were no concerns about the children’s safety with [...]

Filed on July 27, 2010
Nebraska Court of Appeals
Not designated for permanent publication
SUMMARY: The mother’s unwillingness to address her serious mental health issues and demonstrated inability to care for the child establish that termination of parental rights was proper. Even though 43-292.01 was used as the statutory basis for termination instead of 43-292, it is [...]

Filed on July 13, 2010
Not designated for permanent publication, A-09-1229
SUMMARY: Termination of parental rights was proper based on the mother’s lack of progress over 2 years including failure to attend visitation and therapy, learn about the children’s medical needs, and access prenatal care.  
Marquesha C, DOB 9/92, Fate B., DOB 12/96, Tylesha M., DOB 5/99, [...]