Opinion
No. 1-494 / 01-0347.
Filed November 16, 2001.
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Johnson County, SYLVIA A. LEWIS, District Associate Judge.
On our de novo, review we agree with the trial court's factual findings and affirm its decree terminating a father and mother's relationship with their child. AFFIRMED.
Don W. Schroeder, West Liberty, and Dennis A. Bjorklund, Coralville, for appellants.
Thomas J. Miller, Attorney General, M. Elise Pippin, Assistant Attorney General, and Deborah Farmer Minot, Assistant County Attorney, for appellee-State.
Lars Anderson, Iowa City, guardian ad litem for minor child.
Heard by HAYDEN, HABHAB, and HARRIS, Senior Judges.
Senior Judges assigned by order pursuant to Iowa Code section 602.9206 (2001).
C.H. and J.A. are parents of A.H., a son who was born in October of 1999. The family came to the attention of the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) while C.H. was pregnant with A.H. Because of filthy conditions in the home, and upon discovering C.H. was feeding the child curdled milk, A.H. was adjudicated in need of assistance pursuant to Iowa Code section 232.6(6)(c)(2) (1999). The child was placed in the custody of the DHS for foster care. The State later filed this petition to terminate the parental rights of both parents. Following a hearing, the court terminated the parental rights pursuant to Iowa Code sections 232.116(1)(c) and 232.116(1)(g).
Both parents appealed the termination. They contend the court erred in determining they have failed to correct the problems that led to adjudicating the child in need of assistance, and they deny A.H. cannot be returned to their custody. We, however, agree that the parents have failed to correct their problems. Although they contend they have made progress, any improvement is woefully inadequate. Children cannot subsist, much less thrive, in the distressing conditions that continue to exist. To detail them in a published opinion would yield nothing of precendential value. The trial court was correct in so holding.
AFFIRMED.