Judge terminates parental rights of both parents to three Castro children; DFPS named permanent managing conservator

A High Plains Child Protection Court judge on June 11, 2025 terminated the parental rights of Encarnacion Castro to her three children — Isabelle Castro, Eugenia Castro and Alexander Castro — based on her sworn, voluntary affidavits of relinquishment and found it was in the children’s best interest to do so. The court also terminated the parental rights of Domingo Malul Ramos to Alexander Castro after finding he was served by publication, did not respond, failed to register with the paternity registry and had constructively abandoned the children. The judge named the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as permanent managing conservator for Alexander and left the department as permanent managing conservator for Isabelle and Eugenia.

The ruling was delivered in a Zoom hearing of the High Plains Child Protection Court presided over by Judge Graham. Pamela Ferguson, attorney for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), presented testimony including that of Becky Hernandez, a permanency specialist from Saint Francis Ministries who had supervised the children’s case and accepted the mother’s affidavits of relinquishment. Hernandez testified that she believed the relinquishments were voluntary and that the three children are thriving in their foster home.

Why this matters: Termination of parental rights severs the legal parent–child relationship and clears the way for a foster family to pursue adoption. In this case the foster family that has cared for the children for years told the court they intend to seek adoption as a sibling group.

Court findings and basis Judge Graham announced the decision from the bench, saying the court found by clear and convincing evidence that termination was in the children’s best interest. The court accepted the mother’s signed affidavits of relinquishment for all three children and expressly relied on the mother’s written statements as the statutory ground for termination of her rights. Regarding the father, the court found that Domingo Malul Ramos was served by publication, did not respond, had not registered on the paternity registry for Alexander and had not maintained contact with the children since December 2023; the court therefore ordered termination of his parental rights to Alexander on the statutory ground the department cited.

Becky Hernandez, the Saint Francis permanency specialist, described the children’s current placement and the services they received. She testified the children live together in a foster home in Lubbock and that the home provided continuity: "They're doing really well. They're a busy family. They are constantly doing things together with the children," Hernandez said. She told the court the permanency plan was adoption by unrelated adoptive parents.

Foster parents and advocates Matthew Graham, one of the foster parents, described the children’s progress in their home and said the family intends to adopt. "We want them to have the best life that they can possibly have," Graham told the court. Representatives from Casa and DFPS also supported permanency in the Graham home, describing strong sibling bonds and the children’s developmental progress since entering care.

Procedural details and findings the court recorded - The court admitted as exhibits the mother’s signed affidavits of relinquishment and filings showing service by publication on Mr. Ramos. Parties on the record stated no objection to admitting those exhibits. - The court found that Mr. Ramos had been served by publication, had been appointed counsel but did not file a personal response, and that no person in Texas had registered on the paternity registry for Alexander Castro, as shown in the department exhibits. - The court named the department as permanent managing conservator for Alexander Castro and left DFPS as the permanent managing conservator for Isabelle and Eugenia Castro. - The court dismissed court‑appointed counsel after applicable appellate and de novo time frames, except that the attorney representing the children and CASA will remain in the case as recorded.

Reasonable efforts and next steps Judge Graham expressly found that DFPS and Saint Francis made reasonable efforts toward reunification, saying in open court that the department had gone "probably above and beyond reasonable efforts to reunify the family," noting language and cultural barriers and other complicating factors. The judge set the next permanency hearing for October 8, 2025, on the 9:00 a.m. docket and instructed parties about de novo and appellate time frames and the timing of any notice of appeal.

What the record shows and limits to the public record Testimony and exhibits in the hearing show the following case facts that supported the court's rulings: Alexander entered DFPS care in June 2024 after treatment for a wound that was treated at a hospital and required follow-up care. Encarnacion Castro has been incarcerated for roughly a year and, according to testimony, may face immigration consequences; testimony also reflected she received interpreter services and that Hernandez, on behalf of Saint Francis, signed to accept her relinquishments. Hernandez testified the department had no recent locating information for Mr. Ramos after December 2023 and that family contacts had not established his whereabouts. The court's termination orders rely on the grounds and documentary evidence presented at the hearing and as described on the record.

Votes/Orders at a glance - Termination of parental rights of Encarnacion Castro to Isabelle Castro, Eugenia Castro and Alexander Castro — ordered by the court (grounds: voluntarily executed affidavits of relinquishment; statutory citation on the record: Texas Family Code §§161.001(b)(1)(K) and 161.001(b)(2) as cited by the court). Outcome: termination ordered. - Termination of parental rights of Domingo Malul Ramos to Alexander Castro — ordered by the court (grounds: served by publication, failure to respond, failure to register with the paternity registry; statutory citation on the record: Texas Family Code §161.002(b)(2) as cited). Outcome: termination ordered. - Termination of parental rights of Domingo Malul Ramos to Isabelle and Eugenia — the court recorded that Mr. Ramos had previously been adjudicated the father of Isabelle and Eugenia and that termination was supported on the grounds and best‑interest analysis presented; outcome: termination ordered.

Court schedule and case management notes The court set the first permanency hearing in Alexander's case and the next permanency review for Isabelle and Eugenia for October 8, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. The court instructed counsel to be mindful of de novo and appellate deadlines before filing notices or taking other appellate steps.

Ending The court’s order severs the legal parental relationship and clears the record for the foster family that has cared for the three siblings to pursue adoption. The judge thanked the foster family and the agency workers for their work on the case and left CASA and the children's attorney in the case to represent the children through final administrative and appellate time frames.