Opinion
No. 97-4105
October 14, 1998
Appeal from the Circuit Court for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County; Karen L. Martin, Judge; L.T. Case Nos. CJ 96-300160 JL CJ 95-300220 JL.
Victoria A. Vilchez, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Judith Levine, West Palm Beach, for appellee.
We affirm an order terminating Appellant's parental rights as to his children, J.H. and N.H. Padgett v. Department of Health and Rehabilitative Servs., 577 So.2d 565 (Fla. 1991); In Interest of Baby Boy A, 544 So.2d 1136 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989); § 39.464, Fla. Stat. (1997). The record reflects that the trial court could conclude that N.H. is at risk of abuse or neglect based on clear and convincing evidence of parental abuse and neglect of her siblings and conduct of Appellant frustrating efforts of the department to reunify the family. The record also supports the court's findings that Appellant failed to comply with the case plan, the department made reasonable efforts to reunify the family, and Appellant's conduct placed the children at continued risk of further abuse and neglect that threatened their lives and well being irrespective of any provision of services. D.B., a third child in the household, an older sibling of Appellant's children, had been physically abused by severe beatings inflicted by Appellant on more than one occasion, and the parents neglected J.H.'s medical needs resulting in his becoming blind in one eye.
STONE, C.J., WARNER, J., and OWEN, WILLIAM C., Jr., Senior Judge, concur.