IN RE JENNIFER D LORENZ;LESA KAY WATTS;CARL ALEN WATTS; MINORS

 Annotate this Case
Download PDF
STATE OF MICHIGAN COURT OF APPEALS In the Matter of JENNIFER LORENZ, LISA KAY WATTS, and CARL ALLEN WATTS, JR., Minors. FAMILY INDEPENDENCE AGENCY, UNPUBLISHED December 11, 1998 Petitioner-Appellee, v No. 209045 Midland Juvenile Court LC No. 96-009441 NA LISA WATTS, Respondent-Appellant. Before: Markman, P.J., and Bandstra and J.F. Kowalski*, JJ. MEMORANDUM. Respondent-appellant appeals as of right a juvenile court order terminating her parental rights to the minor children under MCL 712A.19b(3)(g) and (j); MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(3)(g) and (j). We affirm. 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). The evidence revealed that the children had lived in an environment in which they witnessed domestic violence, were extremely neglected because of respondent-appellant’s drug addiction and incarcerations, and were emotionally and physically abused. Respondent-appellant has an extensive criminal and substance abuse record and has failed to overcome her drug addiction even though she was provided with numerous services. The record shows that respondent-appellant continued to make improper parenting decisions including, taking the children with her to crack houses to buy drugs, disappearing overnight causing eight-year-old Jennifer to stay at a neighbor’s house and to worry about her mother and siblings, leaving the younger children in Jennifer’s care, and continuing to violate the law. Respondent-appellant was also shot in the arm on one occasion while attempting to * Circuit judge, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment. -1­ purchase drugs. Further, respondent-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). Thus, the juvenile court did not err in terminating respondent-appellant’s parental rights. We affirm. /s/ Stephen J. Markman /s/ Richard A. Bandstra /s/ John F. Kowalski -2­

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.