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REPORTED IN THE COURT OF SPECIAL APPEALS OF MARYLAND No. 662 September Term, 1999

IN RE ADOPTION/GUARDIANSHIP NO. T96318005 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR BALTIMORE CITY

Moylan, Wenner, Thieme, JJ.

OPINION BY MOYLAN, J.

Filed: June 1, 2000

The appellant, Janet P., challenges an order issued by Judge Martin P. Welch, Sr., in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City terminating her parental rights with regard to her son, Edwin C. On appeal, she contends: 1. 2. On August that the trial court erred in terminating her parental rights; and that the trial court erred in admitting hearsay evidence. 17, 1994, the appellant's son, Edwin C., was

declared to be a child in need of assistance ("CINA") and committed to the Baltimore City Department of Social Services (the

"Department"), with limited guardianship awarded to the appellant's aunt, Leola J. Edwin's status as a CINA was continued at a review hearing on February 28, 1996. According to stipulations entered into by both the appellant and the Department, the appellant has been "diagnosed as having a rare, severe psychiatric disorder called `Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy.'" The disorder "is characterized by a parent's, usually a

mother's, falsely reporting or actually causing symptoms of medical illness in her child." As a result of this disorder, the

appellant's first child, Christina, was declared to be a CINA in June of 1990, when she was eleven months old, after it was determined that she needed to have 95% of her pancreas removed due to severe life-threatening hypoglycemia. caused by the appellant's having The hypoglycemia was

injected Christina with insulin.

-2The appellant's parental rights with regard to Christina were terminated and Christina was subsequently adopted. The appellant

was ultimately convicted of child abuse and sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment. The appellant's sentence was suspended and she was placed on five years probation. As of February 28, 1996, the

appellant's probationary period had ended. On November 11, 1996, Department filed a petition to terminate the appellant's parental rights with regard to Edwin. On March 4

and June 7, 1999, a two-day hearing was held in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Judge Welch found that termination of the

appellant's parental rights would be in Edwin's best interest and granted the Department's petition. appeal. The appellant her first contends rights. that The Judge Welch erred in The appellant noted this timely

terminating

parental

appellant

specifically

contends that the trial judge erred in finding that the appellant's previous abuse of Christina was enough to outweigh the Department's requirement to offer adequate reunification efforts as provided for in Md. Code, Family Law,

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