In Re Mariah H.

Syllabus

This is a termination of parental rights case involving the child, Mariah H. (\the Child\), who was one year of age at the time of trial. On June 26, 2015, the Johnson City Juvenile Court (\trial court\) granted temporary legal custody of the Child to the Tennessee Department of Children's Services (\DCS\). The Child was immediately placed in foster care, where she has remained since that date. Following separate hearings, the trial court entered two orders adjudicating the Child dependent and neglected in the care of the parents: one on November 25, 2015, as to the mother, Teresa H. (\Mother\), and the second on January 13, 2016, as to the father, Stafford B. (\Father\). On February 2, 2016, DCS filed a petition to terminate the parental rights of Mother and Father.1 Following a bench trial, the trial court terminated Father's parental rights to the Child after determining by clear and convincing evidence that Father willfully failed to visit the Child during the four months prior to the filing of the termination petition. Furthermore, the trial court dismissed the grounds alleged against Father of failure to establish paternity and persistence of the conditions leading to removal. Also finding clear and convincing evidence that termination of Father's parental rights was in the best interest of the Child, the trial court terminated Father's parental rights to the Child. Father has appealed. Discerning no error, we affirm.