The Houston Family Law Blog


Terminating Parental Rights

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Texas family courts may order termination of the parent-child relationship if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the parent has put the child in any sort of danger. Adoption.com reports of several circumstances which could be grounds for termination in Texas on their website.

Courts may terminate parental rights more often then one would think. CBS News reports that Child Protective Services is actually in the process of terminating the parental rights of Almita Nicole Lockhart. The woman from Houston has nine children ranging in ages from 2 to 18. Child Protective Services has taken custody of the children since a tragic incident left one of Ms. Lockhart's children dead.

One of Ms. Lockhart's children, 8-year-old Halle Smith, died last year. CBS News reported that a coroner classified Ms. Smith's death as a homicide, saying that the girl died of severe malnutrition and dehydration. The eight-year-old girl was just 15 pounds when she died in a Houston emergency room.

Ms. Lockhart was arrested last week; a year after the child's death. She is being charged with 1st-degree injury to a child, which carries a possible sentence ranging from 5 years to life in prison.

Yet many Houston community members question what will happen to Ms. Lockhart's nine other children now that they're with Child Protective Services. If your children are wrongfully taken by Child Protective Services, you can contact a Houston family law attorney in order to have your questions answered, or you can visit our Related Resources links for more information.

Related Resources:

  • Checklist: Grounds for Terminating Parental Rights (Findlaw)
  • Child Abuse Cases (FindLaw)
  • Houston family law attorney directory (FindLaw)

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