IN RE JACOBY KENTRELL LASTER MINOR
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In the Matter of JACOBY KENTRELL LASTER,
Minor.
FAMILY INDEPENDENCE AGENCY,
UNPUBLISHED
October 3, 2000
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
No. 221524
Genesee Circuit Court
Family Division
LC No. 98-110172-NA
VERNETTA LASTER,
Respondent-Appellant.
Before: Doctoroff, P.J., and Holbrook, Jr., and Smolenski, JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
Respondent mother appeals as of right from the family court order terminating her parental rights
to the minor child. We affirm.
Respondent mother argues that the trial court erred in finding that the statutory grounds for
termination had been established by clear and convincing evidence. In re Miller, 182 Mich App 70,
84; 451 NW2d 576 (1990). We disagree. The child’s pediatrician, Lawrence Reynolds, M.D.,
testified that when the child was approximately one-year-old, the doctor discovered six separate
fractures in the boy’s arms and legs. Reynolds unequivocally testified that these fractures were most
likely caused by someone jerking and twisting the boy’s extremities. Reynolds also opined that the
boy’s tuberous sclerosis had not contributed to the injuries. Respondent mother, the boy’s sole
caregiver at the time the injuries were inflicted, offered no explanation for these injuries either during the
pendency of the proceedings or to any of the caregivers and social service workers assigned to the
case. We conclude that this evidence supports the trial court’s findings that both MCL
712A.19b(3)(b)(ii) (parent failed to prevent physical injury to child and there is a reasonable likelihood
that child will suffer further injury if placed in parent’s home), and (3)(j) (reasonable likelihood child will
be harmed if returned to the parent’s home); MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(3)(b)(i)(ii) and (j), were
established by clear and convincing evidence.
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Affirmed.
/s/ Martin M. Doctoroff
/s/ Donald E. Holbrook, Jr.
/s/ Michael R. Smolenski
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