A Nebraska mother and father are trying to keep their parental rights after the father was accused of drunk driving with his young daughter in the car. The 36-year-old man allegedly caused a car accident while inebriated, causing the girl to suffer critical injuries in the crash.
The accident happened in late October of last year. The father was struck in the side of his vehicle after he ran through a red light. He then fled the scene of the crash. Police soon found the man tossing alcoholic beverages into the trash. Three of the man’s daughters were in the vehicle, and two of them were unconscious as a result of their injuries. One of the girls, age 8, suffered serious brain damage and emergency responders rushed her to the hospital.
Court proceedings are now underway to determine whether all the parents of the children involved in the crash will all have their parental rights terminated. If the parental rights are terminated, the children will be transferred to the care of Health and Human Services.
The 8-year-old girl’s brain damage is so severe that she is on life support and the parents have to make an end of life decision. Initially, the family was going to turn off the girl’s life support, but the father stopped it.
This case is an example of how criminal activity can play a role in a child custody matter. In some cases, a family law court may strip one or both parents of their custody rights if the court believes that the parents represent a danger to their children.
If you believe that the parental rights of your children’s other parent need to be terminated or you want to fight such action, an attorney can provide the legal guidance needed.
Source: Omaha World-Herald, “Omaha police testify in trial to decide parental rights of man accused of driving drunk with kids in the car,” Alia Conley, Feb. 18, 2017