In re Children of Wildey

Affirmed OPINION On appeal in this termination-of-parental-rights proceeding, appellant-father, who is incarcerated, argues (a) the county failed to make reasonable efforts to reunite the family and the district court's reliance on In re Welfare of L.A.F., 554 N.W.2d 393 (Minn. 1996) to rule that such efforts were not required, misreads the case; (b) the record does not support the determination that father abandoned his children where the county failed to give father the information necessary to contact his children; (c) the record does not support the determination that father failed to abide by the duties of being a parent and the district court's ruling on this point was improperly based on its determination that termination was in the children's best interests, rather than on the relevant statutory criteria; (d) the record does not support the determination that the children are neglected and in foster case where father took advantage of the services offered to him; and (e) the record does not show that termination is in the children's best interests. The district court and the county social services improperly placed too much weight on appellant's incarceration. Because the best interests of the child are paramount in termination of parental-rights proceedings, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it terminated appellant's parental rights. FACTS