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In re E.O.

Case Date: 02/10/2000
Court: 2nd District Appellate
Docket No: 2-99-0492

In re E.O., No. 2-99-0492

2nd District, 10 February 2000

In re E.O. and B.O., Minors

(The People of the State of Illinois, Petitioner-Appellee, v.P.O., Respondent-Appellant (Er. O., Respondent)).

Appeal from the Circuit Court of Stephenson County.

Nos. 94--J--109, 94--J--110

Honorable Robin A. Minnis, Judge, Presiding.

JUSTICE GALASSO delivered the opinion of the court:

Respondent, P.O., appeals a judgment terminating her parental rights to her daughter, E.O., and her son, B.O., and givingthe guardianship administrator of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) the power to consent to theminors' adoption. (The trial court also terminated the parental rights of the minors' father, Er.O.) The trial court foundrespondent unfit because (1) she abandoned the children (750 ILCS 50/1(D)(a) (West 1998)); (2) she failed to maintain areasonable degree of interest, concern, or responsibility as to their welfare (750 ILCS 50/1(D)(b) (West 1998)); (3) she didnot make reasonable efforts to correct the conditions that were the basis of the removal of the children (750 ILCS50/1(D)(m) (West 1998)); and (4) she did not make reasonable progress toward the return of the children to her within 12months of when they were adjudicated dependent (750 ILCS 50/1(D)(m) (West 1996)).(1) Respondent argues that thefinding of unfitness was against the manifest weight of the evidence. We affirm.

We summarize the background to this litigation and the evidence at the hearing on the State's petition. E.O. was born in1988, and B.O. was born in 1990. In December of 1992, respondent left Er.O. They divorced a year later. In May and Juneof 1993, respondent was treated for mental illness, resulting in court proceedings over the custody of the children. On July28, 1993, after E.O. and B.O. had been in temporary shelter care for about 1