This is an appeal from a juvenile court’s order terminating the mother’s parental rights to J. F., a five-year-old child. The evidence presented at the parental rights termination hearing revealed the following: J. F. lived with Anita Ogle. The mother left J. F. with Ogle in 2003, and Ogle sought and received legal custody of the child on February 3, 2004. On May 19, 2005, the Polk County Department of Family and Children Services hereinafter “the Department” received a report that the mother had illegally removed J. F. from his legal guardian’s home and, while intoxicated, led police on a high-speed chase into Alabama, where she was arrested. The child was placed in protective custody, and the juvenile court conducted a detention hearing. The mother did not appear for the hearing because she was incarcerated. On June 16, 2005 the juvenile court conducted a deprivation hearing. The court found that 1 in 1999 the mother had her parental rights to five other children terminated by the Gordon County Juvenile Court, 2 in June 2004 the mother unlawfully removed J. F. from his legal guardian’s home, fled with the child across state lines, and was subsequently arrested, 3 in April 2005 the mother was incarcerated again for a probation violation, 4 in May 2005 the mother again removed J. F. from his legal guardian and fled with the child to Alabama, where she led police on a high-speed chase while under the influence of alcohol and was subsequently arrested, and 5 the mother was incarcerated in Polk County at the time of the deprivation hearing. Based on these findings of fact, the juvenile court declared J. F. deprived, placed the child in the Department’s custody and approved reunification with the mother. That order was not appealed.
On June 22, 2005, the Department developed and filed a reunification case plan under which the mother was required to obtain a substance abuse assessment and psychological evaluation and follow all treatment recommendations, submit to random drug screens, remain drug/alcohol free for a minimum of six months, maintain stable housing and income, complete parenting classes, attend all hearings, appointments and visitations, notify the Department of all changes in address, provide the names of relatives, and contact the Department to discuss case plan progress. The mother signed the case plan, and the goals were incorporated into the juvenile court’s order.
