In the Interest of S. N.

The mother and father of sixteen-year-old S. N. and nine-year-old J. L. appeal the juvenile court’s termination of their parental rights.1 They argue that there was insufficient evidence to support the termination and that the court erred by not considering placing the children with the parents of the mother’s ex-husband. Finding no error, we affirm. In considering this appeal, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the juvenile court’s disposition. We determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found by clear and convincing evidence that the parents’ rights to custody should have been terminated.2 We do not weigh the evidence or evaluate witnesses’ credibility, but instead defer to the juvenile court’s findings of fact.3

So viewed, the record shows that the Peach County Department of Family and Children Services “the department” first became involved with the mother in 2004, when it received reports of her drug usage. At that point, the department did not remove S. N. and J. L. from their mother’s custody, but instead developed a case plan designed to insure that the mother remained drug-free and that the children were properly supervised.4 The mother and children entered a residential drug treatment program. In April 2005, however, the mother was expelled from the program for violating rules pertaining to prescription drug use. Because the mother had nowhere to live, the department took temporary custody of the children. The juvenile court entered an order finding the children to be deprived and granting custody to the department through April 2006. Neither parent appealed this order.