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IN RE: ADREW THOMAS M., also known as Andrew Thomas M., etc., A Dependent Child Under the Age of Eighteen Years, etc., Antoine M., etc., Respondent-Appellant, Little Flower Children's Services, Petitioner-Respondent.
Order of disposition, Family Court, New York County (Rhoda J. Cohen, J.), entered on or about January 24, 2002, which, upon a finding of permanent neglect, terminated respondent father's parental rights to the subject child and transferred custody and guardianship of the child to petitioner for the purpose of adoption, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
There was clear and convincing evidence to support the finding that respondent father permanently neglected the child by failing to plan for his future (see Social Services Law § 384-b[7][a] ). The caseworker repeated to respondent that he must complete a drug rehabilitation program, a parenting skills program, visit consistently, and participate in regular random drug testing before he could gain custody of his son. However, respondent did not, within the statutorily relevant period, successfully complete any program, his visiting was inconsistent, and he continued to test positive for cocaine. Evidence of relatively recent efforts to comply with the agency's recommendations was not sufficient to warrant a suspended judgment (see Matter of Rutherford Roderick T., 4 A.D.3d 213, 772 N.Y.S.2d 49 [2004] ).
The child's entire life has been in his pre-adoptive home where he has done well, bonded with his foster mother, and his special needs have been met (see Matter of Martin P.J.S., 2 A.D.3d 106, 767 N.Y.S.2d 607 [2003] ). All these circumstances render it abundantly clear that the child's best interests call for terminating respondent's parental rights and permitting the adoptive process to proceed (see Matter of Star Leslie W., 63 N.Y.2d 136, 147-48, 481 N.Y.S.2d 26, 470 N.E.2d 824 [1984] ).
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Decided: October 19, 2004
Court: Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York.
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