Domestic Relations: Termination of Parental Rights-Sufficiency of Factual Findings

Staff Report//May 7, 2026//

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Father appealed the judgment terminating his parental rights to his children. The trial court found that father had abused and neglected his children, failed to rectify the conditions leading to the children’s removal and was unfit to parent. Thus, the trial court determined that termination was in the children’s best interest. On appeal, father argued that the trial court failed to make specific factual findings establishing a likelihood of future harm to the children if father’s parental rights were not terminated.

Where the trial court had specifically determined that father refused to engage in services designed to rectify the causes of his abuse and neglect of the children and had failed to show any ability to care for the children, there was an adequate basis to terminate father’s parental rights.

Judgment is affirmed.

In the Interest of H.P. (MLW No. 84723/Case No. SD39226 & SD39227 – 6 pages) (Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, West, J.) Appealed from circuit court, Greene County, Wichmer, J.