IN RE GOULD MINORS

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STATE OF MICHIGAN COURT OF APPEALS In the Matter of SOLOMON GOULD and DAYSHIN GOULD, a/k/a DAYSHIN THOMPSON, Minors. FAMILY INDEPENDENCE AGENCY, UNPUBLISHED February 15, 2002 Petitioner-Appellee, v No. 235449 Washtenaw Circuit Court Family Division LC No. 99-024849-NA LACREADA THOMPSON, Respondent-Appellant and RAYFORD GOULD, Respondent. Before: Fitzgerald, P.J., and Hood and Sawyer, JJ. MEMORANDUM. Respondent mother appeals from an order of the trial court terminating her parental rights to the minor children pursuant to MCL 712A.19b(3)(g), (i) and (l). We affirm. In making a termination decision, the trial court must engage in a two-step analysis. First, it must determine if a statutory ground for termination has been established by clear and convincing evidence. In re Sours Minors, 459 Mich 624, 632; 593 NW2d 520 (1999). Second, if a statutory ground has been established, the trial court must terminate parental rights unless there exists clear evidence on the whole record that it is not in the child’s best interests to terminate parental rights. In re Trejo Minors, 462 Mich 341, 354; 603 NW2d 787 (2000). The Court has carefully reviewed the record on appeal, the opinion of the trial court, and the parties’ briefs. We are not persuaded that the trial court erred in finding that the statutory grounds for termination were met and that it was in the best interests of the children to terminate -1- the parental rights. Accordingly, we find no abuse of discretion by the trial court in terminating respondent’s parental rights. Affirmed. /s/ E. Thomas Fitzgerald /s/ Harold Hood /s/ David H. Sawyer -2-

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