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DFPS asks court to terminate parental rights for three parents; hearing continued to Feb. 4
Summary
At a multi‑party final hearing in the High Plains Child Protection Court, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services asked a judge to terminate parental rights for the two fathers and the mother involved in a child‑removal case; the court admitted multiple exhibits and continued the final hearing to Feb. 4 for further testimony.
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services asked the High Plains Child Protection Court on Jan. 31 to terminate the parental rights of Cameron Shelton, Adam Aguilar Jr. and Laquisha Stotts, citing failure to complete court‑ordered services and concerns about the children’s safety.
The requests were laid out during testimony by Tiffany Brown, a permanency specialist with Saint Francis Ministries. Brown told the court the department seeks termination for Shelton “based upon his failure to work services” and for Aguilar and Stotts for similar noncompliance and constructive abandonment, including lost visits and drug‑treatment failures.
The department presented certified documents and service plans for each parent and argued the children have been in the department’s care longer than six months. Brown testified about Shelton that he “has failed to comply with the court order of the family plans of service,” and she described steps Saint Francis and DFPS took to offer services such as drug testing, parenting classes and counseling. For Aguilar, Brown said he “has been incarcerated for the majority” of the case and has completed only parenting classes offered in jail. Brown told the court she is asking the judge to terminate parental rights for all three parents at the final hearing.
The court admitted multiple exhibits the department offered as records and business affidavits, including family plans of service and status and permanency orders for both the Stotts‑Shelton and Stotts‑Aguilar matters. The judge also agreed to judicially notice DNA/paternity reports filed in the Aguilar matter and admitted certified copies of indictments and judgments against Adam Aguilar.
No final rulings on termination were made at the session. The judge continued the hearing and scheduled the next session for 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, to hear additional witnesses and finish testimony.
Why it matters: Termination of parental rights is a legal step that severs a parent’s legal relationship to a child and is generally pursued when a court finds that reunification is not possible. The department’s requests and the court’s decision will determine the children’s long‑term permanency plans.
What’s next: The court will reconvene Feb. 4 to continue testimony, consider additional evidence and hear argument before deciding whether to grant the department’s petitions.
