D.G. v. Department of Children & Families

D.G., the father of two minor children, challenges a finding of dependency claiming that there was insufficient evidence to support the trial court’s decision. We reverse because, through no fault of the father, critical portions of the record are unavailable for our review.

The dependency petition filed by the Department of Children and Families contained three counts alleging abuse, neglect, and abandonment. The trial court determined the adolescent children dependent based only on the first count and dismissed the other two for lack of evidence. The trial court ruled the children dependent…