Sunderland v. Department of Social & Health Services

*279¶1 R.L.M. is a seven year old girl. Monesa Sunderland is her paternal aunt. When R.L.M. was four years old, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) removed her from her parents and placed her with Sunderland. DSHS later removed R.L.M. from Sunderland because of her drug use and placed the child with a foster-adopt family. Sunderland completed a drug recovery program and parenting classes and sought to adopt R.L.M. R.L.M.’s foster parents also petitioned for adoption. Sunderland was given only three hours notice of the competing adoption hearing, and neither she nor her attorney…