Judge terminates parental rights of Jessica Davidson and alleged father in Joshua Davidson case

At a final hearing conducted by Zoom, the presiding judge said the court found clear and convincing evidence that it is in the best interest of the child, Joshua Davidson, to terminate the parental rights of his mother, Jessica Davidson, and the alleged father, Henry Royce, and named the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) as permanent managing conservator.

The judge said, "I do find by clear and convincing evidence that it is in the best interest of the child, Joshua Davidson, to terminate the parental rights between the child and his mother, Jessica Davidson, based on Texas family code section 161001, subsections b 1, the d e, n and o grounds, and the best interest under, subsection b 2. I will also find by clear and convincing evidence it's in the best interest of the child, Joshua Davidson, to terminate the parental rights between the child and the alleged father, Henry Royce, based on his failure to register with the paternity registry under Texas family code 161002 subsection b 3. I will name the department of family protective services as the permanent manager conservator of Joshua."

The finding followed testimony from Mercedes Hodge, a child protective investigator with DFPS, who described conditions that prompted removal. "It was very cluttered. There was feces everywhere. There was trash everywhere. It was not there wasn't any floor area for, like, baby to be," Hodge testified about the child's home. Hodge also said the child tested positive for methamphetamines when first removed; that result was admitted into evidence as Petitioner’s Exhibit 1, an affidavit of business records regarding the child's drug screen.

Michelle Silva, a permanency specialist with Saint Francis, testified that services were offered and a family plan of service was filed and later amended and made orders of the court. Silva said the caseworker made repeated efforts to engage the mother but that contact became sporadic and ultimately ceased in September 2024. Silva testified that the mother had not completed required services such as parenting classes, drug-free requirements, psychological and individual counseling, and TPC (Texas Panhandle Centers) assessments. Silva also testified that the child was placed with a foster family in Minnesota, was doing well developmentally and medically, and that the foster family — which already adopted a sibling — is willing and licensed to adopt Joshua.

Silva and Hodge testified that DFPS searched the paternity registry and received a certificate showing no claim to paternity; the registry certificate was admitted as an exhibit. Because the father was not located and there was no successful claim to paternity, the court found statutory grounds under the family code for terminating the alleged father's rights.

The court dismissed all court-appointed attorneys from the case except Stacy Zavala, who will remain as the child's attorney and guardian ad litem, and set a review hearing for June 5, 2025, on the 9:00 docket. The court instructed counsel on appellate timing and final-order procedures.

The order identifies DFPS as permanent managing conservator and continues Joshua’s placement pending post-decision proceedings. The transcript shows the case was called as "call number 98722 in the interest of Joshua Davidson."