Domestic Relations – Termination Of Parental Rights – Child’s MRSA Infection

A mother whose infant daughter suffered from periodic outbreaks of MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection, and who was discovered to be disoriented and incapacitated from ingestion of prescription drugs and unable to care for the child, loses her appeal of the termination of her parental rights.

Mother also was removed from jail in Roanoke and was incarcerated in Florida. She did not respond to DSS’s efforts to contact her and did not make any arrangements to provide for her daughter. At the time of the hearing, the mother had had no contact with her daughter for 14 months. The child was thriving in her foster home, where her ongoing medical condition was being managed successfully.

We find the trial court did not err in concluding there was clear and convincing evidence that termination of the mother’s parental rights was in the child’s best interests.

Judgment affirmed.

Hamilton v. City of Roanoke Dep’t of Social Servs. (Per Curiam) No. 2707-09-3, June 29, 2010; Roanoke City Cir.Ct. (Dorsey) James P. Cargill for appellant; William M. Hackworth, City Att’y. VLW 010-7-252(UP), 5 pp.