Judge names DFPS temporary managing conservator for infant Messiah King, approves family placement and status hearing set

Judge Baker found sufficient evidence in court to name the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as temporary managing conservator of an infant identified in court as Messiah King and approved a change of placement to an identified family placement.

The court received testimony from Rodolfo “Rudy” Flores, an investigator with the Department of Family and Protective Services, who described efforts to locate the child’s putative father and the department’s assessment of the child’s placement needs. Flores told the court that the mother, Dacasia King, had provided the name "Mohammed Johnson" as a possible father but that repeated database searches and the department’s finder service produced no current contact information. "She provided me a name of Mohammed Johnson," Flores said. He reported the department had not located the man and that the mother said he had not had contact with Messiah.

A department worker told the court that she visited Messiah in placement and that a family placement had been identified; she said, "He'll be moving there fairly shortly," and the judge approved the planned change of placement.

Judge Baker said she would "find the evidence is sufficient to name the Department of Family and Protective Services as the temporary managing conservator of the child, Messiah King," and that there was an ongoing risk preventing return home. The judge ordered the department to use reasonable efforts to reunify the child with family and to continue searching for the alleged father.

The court approved the parties' agreement that no child-support or medical-support order be entered at this time so the mother can work services, and the judge set a status hearing for April 1, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.