The mother of V.E.H. appeals the termination of her parental rights.1 For the reasons that follow, we reverse and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. V. E. H. was born on August 7, 1996. In November 1999, when V. E. H. was a little over 3 years old, her mother married Adrian Pinder after having known him for less than 2 months. In January 2000, Pinder beat V. E. H., inflicting injuries so severe she had to be placed on life support. The Henry County Department of Family and Children Services DFACS was awarded emergency custody of V. E. H. pursuant to a 72 hour shelter care order, and the mother stipulated V. E. H. was deprived at the initial hearing. Legal custody of V. E. H. was awarded to DFACS on February 17, 2000, and the mother was not allowed any visitation with the child. On February 20, 2000, DFACS filed its 30 Day Case Plan, recommending that the mother’s parental rights be terminated; on February 24, DFACS filed a petition to terminate her parental rights. The mother filed a “Motion for Visitation or Custody, Objection to Biological Parent’s Visitation and Motion for ‘Gag’ Order” on March 10, 2000. A hearing was initially scheduled on the motion for March 16, 2000, but upon request of the biological father, the hearing was continued until March 30, 2000.
A case plan review hearing was scheduled for April 27, 2000, but was continued by request of the mother until May 4, 2000, so that the mother’s newly retained attorney could prepare for the hearing. On May 4, 2000, the parties requested that the hearings on the case plan, the mother’s motion for visitation, and a contempt motion that had been filed against the mother be consolidated and continued. On May 23, 2000, the matter was again continued due to a scheduling conflict of the mother’s attorney On June 13, the court granted another continuance until June 29, 2000, to allow receipt of doctor’s reports and consideration of the mother’s request for visitation. More than six months later, on January 25, 2001, the court granted another continuance until February 15, 2001, because the mother’s attorney was not present. After another seven months, on August 16, 2001, another continuance was granted until August 30, 2001, because the mother’s attorney was out of town and could not appear.
