In re Rita F.
Annotate this CaseAfter a trial, the family court terminated the parental rights of Respondent to her three children. The court found that Respondent was unfit by reason of conduct or conditions seriously detrimental to her children in that she allowed conduct to be committed towards her children of a cruel and abusive nature, and she subjected her children to aggravated circumstances of sexual abuse. The Supreme Court affirmed the decree of the family court, holding (1) even if the trial justice erred in permitting witnesses to testify about hearsay statements made by the children, the error was harmless because clear and convincing evidence supported the trial justice's findings; and (2) the trial justice did not err in failing to address whether the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) had met its burden of proving that it made reasonable efforts to achieve reunification between Respondent and her children before DCYF filed a petition to terminate parental rights, as DCYF was under no obligation to attempt reunification of the family.
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