Abandoned Toddler's Final Placement Determined in Hearing
By: Tatiana Rodriguez, SweetwaterReporter.com
Updated: June 27, 2012
A final placement hearing took place on Tuesday afternoon for Angel
Flores, the toddler who was abandoned by his father, Carlos Rico, on
Interstate 20 in Nolan County last year.
An agreement was made by all parties involved that Angel's great uncle Jose Estrada, along with Angel's biological mother - Dana Campos, who lives in California, would be joint managing conservators for Angel, but that Estrada would be Angel's primary guardian and Angel would live with him in Lubbock.
It was proposed that Campos will have to participate in a stair step program, visiting Angel for several supervised sessions in his county of residence before she could go back to the standard possession order. She will also have to pay $100 per month to Estrada for child support for Angel.
It was determined that Rico would have his parental rights terminated indefinitely with a voluntary relinquishment and no contact order put into place.
Many involved in the case wanted to be sure that Angel would always be protected, including Judge Hall, who questioned Estrada on the stand, making sure that Rico would never have contact with Angel of any sort.
"I will do whatever I have to and make sure he is safe," said Estrada.
A member of the Department of Family and Protective Services was also put on the stand and stated that he believed it was in Angel's best interest to reside with Estrada and his family.
Angel has been living with Estrada for the past month and is said to be "happy" to be there, according to Estrada. "We have a big house and big yard and it is all his. Everyone in the family loves him and does everything they can to make him happy," he said.
To continue reading this article, click here.
An agreement was made by all parties involved that Angel's great uncle Jose Estrada, along with Angel's biological mother - Dana Campos, who lives in California, would be joint managing conservators for Angel, but that Estrada would be Angel's primary guardian and Angel would live with him in Lubbock.
It was proposed that Campos will have to participate in a stair step program, visiting Angel for several supervised sessions in his county of residence before she could go back to the standard possession order. She will also have to pay $100 per month to Estrada for child support for Angel.
It was determined that Rico would have his parental rights terminated indefinitely with a voluntary relinquishment and no contact order put into place.
Many involved in the case wanted to be sure that Angel would always be protected, including Judge Hall, who questioned Estrada on the stand, making sure that Rico would never have contact with Angel of any sort.
"I will do whatever I have to and make sure he is safe," said Estrada.
A member of the Department of Family and Protective Services was also put on the stand and stated that he believed it was in Angel's best interest to reside with Estrada and his family.
Angel has been living with Estrada for the past month and is said to be "happy" to be there, according to Estrada. "We have a big house and big yard and it is all his. Everyone in the family loves him and does everything they can to make him happy," he said.
To continue reading this article, click here.
