ÿWPC½ …# VUFa %§ 0@­4í  w@ 0„X 0DÜ n­ 0JÍ 0T 0^k 0hÉ 0r1 0|£ 0† 0¥ 1u5 0dªU6B)DDCm AM° BýU*'Dék D3Tv~‡vÓ 0@Ø AOÆg 0D- D/q B ˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 <¾½Q 9Z ‹.Courier New RegularX(ù$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ  ÓDÒ ¡Ó 3|x½ «¬E­®¯E°±²³Ó€½(4(3DX$¤¤Ý ƒù!ÝÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXXxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d####7Border 1dd€-$Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€'ÔÔ€'ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€'XÔÌÌFebruary€28,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó ßÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝòòThe€appellant€complains€that€the€court€admitted€into€evidence€theÏrecords€of€one€Cheryl€McCormick€whose€testimony€was€excluded.€€This€admissionÏof€evidence€was€probably€error,€however,€under€the€circumstances,€we€find€itÏto€be€harmless€error.€€òòSeeóó€Tennessee€Rules€of€Appellate€Procedure,€Rule€36(b).óóÌ&&&&'ÿÿdxdPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ ¸ ÑÑ Ü ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€ùñXXdÖXXdÖ7Ñ›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE,€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJACKSON€CIRCUITÌDEPARTMENT€OF€HUMAN€SERVICES,€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€01A01„9607„CV„00303Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Appellee€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€BOBBY€CAPERSÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌKAREN€SUE€JACKSON€PURCELL,€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED̜ـ€ÙßR€%($A1-j|œL` ç `€€@ÿRß›INMATE€#205033€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌTENNESSEE€STATE€WOMEN'S€€€€€€€€€)ÌPRISON,€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEE,€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Appellant€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌÌÌÌTHOMAS€H.€œBILBREY›,€Lafayette,€for€Appellant.ÌÌÌCHARLES€W.€œBURSON›,€Attorney€General€and€Reporter€and€WILLIAM€œASHBY›ÏSMITH,€JR.,€Assistant€Attorney€General,€Nashville,€for€Appellee.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌà€ àMcMurray,€J.ÌÌà àThis€is€an€appeal€from€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€thatÏterminated€the€parental€rights€of€the€appellant,€Karen€Sue€JacksonÏPurcell€(mother).€€We€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àThe€Department€of€Human€Services€(DHS)€instituted€this€actionÏseeking€termination€of€the€mother's€parental€rights.€€There€wereÏthree€minor€children€involved,€now€ages€11,€10€and€6.€€The€fatherÏof€the€children€is€deceased.ÌÌà àThe€mother€is€incarcerated€in€the€penal€system€of€the€StateÏof€Tennessee.€She€is€serving€a€sentence€of€twenty€(20)€years€forÏsecond€degree€murder.€€She€entered€a€guilty€plea€to€the€killing€ofÏher€husband€and€the€father€of€the€children€involved€here.€€ÌÌà àThe€DHS,€in€its€petition€sought€termination€of€parentalÏrights€on€the€grounds€of€severe€child€abuse€and€abandonment.€ÍAfter€a€bench€trial€the€court€found€by€clear€and€convincing€evi…dence€that€prior€to€incarceration,€the€mother€engaged€in€conductÏexhibiting€a€wanton€disregard€for€the€welfare€of€the€children€andÏthat€she€had€committed€severe€child€abuse€by€sexually€abusing€theÏchildren.ÌÌà àThe€mother€presents€two€issues€for€our€review€which€are€setÏout€as€follows:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà0 àà à1.à àWhether€the€trial€court€erred€by€allowing€theÏintroduction€into€evidence€of€inadmissible€hearsayÏtestimony€and€other€inadmissible€evidence€which€theÏtrial€court€relied€on€to€support€a€basis€for€terƒminating€defendant's€parental€rights€to€her€threeÏminor€children.ÌÌà8 àà0 àà à2.à àWhether€the€trial€court€erred€in€ruling€that€thereÏwas€clear€and€convincing€evidence€to€support€aÏfinding€that€the€defendant€had€engaged€in€suchÏconduct€prior€to€incarceration€as€to€constituteÏwanton€disregard€for€the€welfare€of€the€children€asÏcontemplated€by€òòTennessee€Code€Annotatedóó,€ðð€37„1„102.ÌÌÓÓÌà àThe€primary€thrust€of€the€mother's€challenge€to€the€evidenceÏis€that€much€of€the€evidence€was€not€trustworthy€and,€therefore,Ïinadmissible€citing€Rule€803(25),€Tennessee€Rules€of€Evidence.ÌÌà àRule€803(25)€provides€in€pertinent€part€as€follows:ÌÌÓÓò òà8 àRule€803.€Hearsay€exceptionsó ó.€€The€following€are€notÏexcluded€by€the€hearsay€rule:ÌÌà@ à*€€€€€*€€€€€*€€€€€*ÌÌò òà8 à(25)€Children's€statementsó ó.€€Unless€the€circumstanc…es€indicate€lack€of€trustworthiness,€statements€aboutÏabuse€or€neglect€made€by€a€child€alleged€to€be€theÏvictim€of€physical,€sexual,€or€psychological€abuse€orÏneglect,€offered€in€a€civil€action€concerning€issues€ofÏdependency€and€neglect€pursuant€to€T.C.A.€ðð€37„1„102(b)(10),€issues€concerning€severe€child€abuse€pursuantÏto€T.C.A.€ðð€37„1„102(b)(19),€or€issues€concerning€termi…nation€of€parental€rights€pursuant€to€T.C.A.€ððÏ37„1„147(d).€œDeclarants›€of€age€thirteen€or€older€at€theÏtime€of€the€hearing€must€testify€at€the€hearing€unlessÏunavailable€as€defined€by€œT.R.Evid›.€804(a);€otherwiseÏthis€exception€is€inapplicable€to€their€extrajudicialÏstatements.€[Amended€by€order€entered€January€28,€1993,Ïand€effective€July€1,€1993.]ÌÌÓÓÌà àWe€should€first€note€that€this€is€one€of€the€types€of€casesÏin€which€such€testimony€as€that€described€in€the€above€rule€ap…plies.€€Secondly,€all€children€are€under€the€age€of€13€years.€ÏHence,€the€admissibility€of€the€extrajudicial€statements€dependsÏupon€the€trustworthiness€of€the€statements.€€In€this€instance,€weÏare€of€the€opinion€that€the€circumstances€do€not€militate€againstÍthe€trustworthiness€of€the€statements€about€which€the€motherÏcomplains.€While€we€find€no€authority€for€or€against€the€proposi…tion,€we€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€determination€of€trustworthi…ness€is€a€matter€for€the€trial€court€to€decide€and€his€decisionÏwill€not€be€disturbed€on€appeal€unless€there€is€a€showing€of€abuseÏof€discretion.€œ€We€find€no€circumstances€in€the€record€whichÏpersuade€us€that€the€statements€complained€of€are€not€trustworthy,Ïtherefore,€there€is€no€abuse€of€discretion.€€We›€should€also€noteÏthat€there€is€evidence€corroborating€the€statements€made€by€theÏchild€or€children.€Here,€the€court€resolved€the€issue€of€trustwor…thiness€in€favor€of€the€witnesses.€€Where€the€trial€judge€has€seenÏand€heard€the€witnesses,€especially€if€issues€of€credibility€andÏweight€to€be€given€oral€testimony€are€involved,€considerableÏdeference€must€be€accorded€those€circumstances€on€review.€òòœMcCaleb›Ïv.€Saturn€Corpóó.,€910€S.W.2d€412€(Tenn.€1995).× ƒ) ××  ×ÌÌà àIn€the€interest€of€protecting€the€privacy€of€the€childrenÏinvolved,€we€do€not€find€it€necessary€to€set€out€in€detail€theÏevidence€of€sexual€abuse€against€the€children€which€is€shown€byÏthe€record.€€Suffice€it€to€say€that€the€evidence€was€sufficient€toÏestablish€œ"severe›€child€œabuse"›€and€wanton€disregard€for€the€wel…fare€of€the€children€sufficient€to€constitute€"abandonment"€asÏthose€terms€are€defined€in€T.C.A.€ðððð€37„1„101(b)(19)(A)and€(B)€andÏ37„1„102(b)(1)(B)(œi›)€respectively.€We€perhaps€should€also€pointÏout€that€the€murder€of€the€children's€father,€the€charge€to€whichÏthe€mother€plead€guilty,€was€a€violent€multiple€shooting€and€wasÏdone€in€the€presence€of€at€least€one€of€the€children.ÌÌà àThe€appellant€further€complains€œof€the€court's€finding€thatÏthe€evidence€was€clear€and€convincing.€€We€find€no€merit€to€thisÏissue.€€Our€review€of€the€record€persuades€us€that€there€is€anÏabundance€of€clear€and€convincing€evidence€to€support€the€judgmentÏof€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€all€respects.€ÏCosts€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€appellant.€€This€case€isÏremanded€to€the€trial€court.ÌÌÌÓÓà€ à__________________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€Judge€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌ___________________________________ÌHouston€M.€Goddard,€Presiding€JudgeÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌHerschel€P.€Franks,€JudgeÌÇÑ  ÑÑ7€ËXXd×XXd×7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE,€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJACKSON€CIRCUITÌDEPARTMENT€OF€HUMAN€SERVICES,€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€01A01„9607„CV„00303Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Appellee€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€BOBBY€CAPERSÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àJUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌKAREN€SUE€JACKSON€PURCELL,€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌINMATE€#205033€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌTENNESSEE€STATE€WOMEN'S€€€€€€€€€)ÌPRISON,€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEE,€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Appellant€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌÌÌ€Ìà@ àò òòòORDERóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Jackson€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÏUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€the€opinion€thatÏthere€was€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€all€respects.€ÏCosts€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€appellant.€€This€case€isÏremanded€to€the€trial€court.ÌÌÓÓ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à______________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àDon€T.€McMurray,€J.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à_______________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àHouston€M.€Goddard,€P€J.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à______________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.Ì