Miller, Presiding Judge. Anita Wright appeals from the juvenile court’s order terminating her parental rights to her eight children, arguing that the juvenile court erred by (1) permitting the most recent case manager, rather than the previous one, to testify at the termination hearing, (2) finding that there was current dependency, (3) finding that the dependency was likely to continue, (4) finding that the continued dependency was likely to cause harm to the children, and (5) denying her motion for a new trial.[1] After a thorough review of the record, we conclude that the juvenile court properly terminated the mother’s parental rights with respect to three of the children, but not as to the other five, because there was no evidence addressing the likelihood of continued harm stemming from the dependency for the remaining five children. Accordingly, we affirm the termination order as to the two oldest children and the youngest, but must reverse as to the other five children.On appeal from a juvenile court’s decision to terminate parental rights, we review the evidence in the light most favorable to the juvenile court’s ruling and determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found by clear and convincing evidence that the parent’s rights should be terminated. In the Interest of C. S., 319 Ga. App. 138, 139 (735 SE2d 140) (2015). Nonetheless,this deferential standard of review is tempered by the fact that there is no judicial determination which has more drastic significance than that of permanently severing a natural parentchild relationship. It must be scrutinized deliberately and exercised most cautiously. The right to raise one’s children is a fiercely guarded right in our society and law, and a right that should be infringed upon only under the most compelling circumstances.
(Footnote omitted.) In the Interest of E. G. L. B., 342 Ga. App. 839, 840 (805 SE2d 285) (2017). So viewed, the evidence shows that on August 14, 2014, the Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services (“DFCS”) took Wright’s eight children, ranging in age from five days old to twelve years old, into custody after learning that the family was living in an abandoned apartment with no running water or electricity. The children lacked medical and dental care and were not attending school. Additionally, the family had limited food and water, there was trash piled up around the apartment, and there had been instances of violence in the home. Based on those living conditions, DFCS filed a dependency petition and an amended dependency petition, alleging that the children lacked parental care or control, the father was using marijuana, and there had been acts of family violence and verbal abuse in the home, especially against the two oldest children. The juvenile court found the children dependent and in need of the court’s protection as a result of the allegations of abuse and neglect. This finding was never appealed. The juvenile court noted the emotional and physical abuse alleged by the two oldest children and that the newborn child had to be hospitalized immediately for hypothermia upon being taken into custody. Thereafter, DFCS set up a case plan with the goal of reunification for the parents. The juvenile court adopted the case plan, concurrent with reunification and guardianship, which required the mother to do the following: (1) complete a parental fitness/psychological evaluation; (2) obtain and maintain stable housing; (3) obtain and maintain a source of income; (4) sign a release of information; (5) attend all hearings; (6) notify DFCS of any changes of address, phone numbers or jobs within 48 hours; and (7) contact DFCS to schedule appointments to discuss her progress. The two oldest children required trauma assessments, and the remaining children were to be assessed for various therapies. The children were placed in several different foster homes and given sibling visitation. The parents were given visitation with all of the children.
