IN RE DANTZLER MINORS
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In the Matter of RAFAEL DEWON DANTZLER and
MONTANEL KUARON DANTZLER, Minors.
FAMILY INDEPENDENCE AGENCY,
UNPUBLISHED
September 25, 1998
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
No. 206497
Wayne Juvenile Court
LC No. 92-305076
SARAH DANTZLER,
Respondent-Appellant,
and
KEVIN HUNTLEY,
Respondent.
Before: Whitbeck, P.J., and McDonald and T. G. Hicks*, JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
Respondent-appellant appeals as of right the juvenile court order terminating her parental rights
to the minor children under MCL 712A.19b(3)(c)(i) and (g); MSA 27.3178(598.19b) (3)(c)(i) and (g).
We affirm. We decide this case without oral argument pursuant to MCR 7.214(E).
The juvenile court did not clearly err in finding that the statutory grounds for termination were
established by clear and convincing evidence. MCR 5.974(I); In re Miller, 433 Mich 331, 337; 445
NW2d 161 (1989). Appellant has completed some elements of her treatment plan but had not
addressed the most important element, the ability to parent. Two examples, of many, illustrate this point
well: (1) on supervised visits with her children, she paid more attention to the adults than to her visiting
* Circuit judge, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment.
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children; (2) she frequently, and increasingly, cancelled her visits with her children, eventually not visiting
with them at all at the critical period just before the juvenile court proceedings.
Second, appellant failed to show that termination of her parental rights was clearly not in the
children’s best interests. MCL 712A.19b(5); MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(5). In re Hall-Smith, 222
Mich App 470, 472-473; 564 NW2d 156 (1997). Appellant’s total failure to plan, though given
almost five years to do so, for the arrival of her children indicates her inability to meet her
responsibilities.
Thus, the juvenile court did not err in terminating respondent-appellant’s parental rights to the
children.
Affirmed.
/s/ William C. Whitbeck
/s/ Gary R. McDonald
/s/ Timothy G. Hicks
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