E.E.A. v. Department of Children & Family Services

DAVIS, Judge.

In this consolidated appeal, E.E.A., the natural mother, challenges two final judgments that terminated her parental rights to J.H.,.M.H., and D.A. E.E.A. is a thirty-nine-year-old woman who is developmentally delayed and suffers from numerous other disorders including a long-standing, chronic substance abuse problem. She was determined to be incompetent in these proceedings, and an attorney ad litem was appointed on her behalf. For the reasons explained below, we reverse.

In 1995, prior to the birth of D.A. and prior to the family’s involvement with the Department of Children and…