APPEAL
FROM THE WASHINGTON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT. [NO. 72JV-18-224].
HONORABLE STACEY ZIMMERMAN, JUDGE.
COUNSEL:
Leah
Lanford, Arkansas Commission for Parent Counsel, for
appellant.
Ellen
K. Howard, Office of Chief Counsel, for appellee.
Chrestman Group, PLLC, by: Keith L. Chrestman, attorney ad
litem for minor child.
ROBERT
J. GLADWIN, Judge. VIRDEN and VAUGHT, JJ., agree.
OPINION
Page 255
ROBERT
J. GLADWIN, Judge
Miranda Dye appeals the order terminating her parental rights
to her daughter, MC. On appeal, she argues that the circuit
court's best-interest finding was not supported by
sufficient evidence. We affirm.
I.
Facts and Procedural History
This
case began on March 2, 2018, with the Arkansas Department of
Human Services (DHS) petitioning for emergency custody and
dependency-neglect of MC, born September 26, 2017. An
affidavit attached to the petition alleges that police had
been called to the home of Miranda Dye and Lance Cooksey,
MC's father, due to a domestic altercation.[1] Lance was
arrested as a result of the dispute, and Miranda was cited
for endangering the welfare of a minor. M.C. was placed in
DHS custody on a seventy-two-hour hold because the residence,
a fifth-wheel-type RV trailer, was filthy: dirty dishes were
on the counters, floors, and stacked alongside the bed; and
the bathroom toilet was filled with urine, and there was a
bucket of urine sitting alongside the toilet. Also, Miranda
submitted to a drug screen, which was positive for
amphetamines, methamphetamine, and THC.
The
circuit court signed an ex parte order granting custody to
DHS, and on March 9, the court found probable cause existed
that it was contrary to MC's welfare to return custody to
Miranda. The court found that the parents had neglected
M.C.'s home environment and that they had inadequately
supervised M.C. due to substance abuse. MC was placed with
Teresa Genz, a paternal aunt. Both parents were ordered,
among other things, to cooperate with DHS and submit to
weekly random drug screens.
An
adjudication order was filed April 19, 2018, finding that MC
was dependent-neglected as a result of parental unfitness.
The court ordered that MC remain in DHS custody and that the
goal of the case was reunification with her parents. Lance
was ordered to pay $50 a week child support to Teresa Genz,
and Miranda was ordered to contribute " once she gets a
job." The court also noted that the caseworker testified
that the parents' home had been cleaned and was safe and
appropriate.
A
review hearing was held on September 12, and custody remained
with DHS. MC had been placed in foster care with Cassie and
Cody Julich, Lance's niece and her husband, and the court
found that this placement was in MC's best
interest.[2] The goal remained reunification with
the parents. Miranda was found to have complied with all of
the court orders and the case plan, and the court found that
she had made much progress toward alleviating the causes of
removal.
However, after a permanency-planning hearing on February 6,
2019, the court authorized a plan for adoption with DHS to
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