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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS

In the Matter of DARRICK ANTHONY MOSS II, Minor.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, Petitioner-Appellee, v LATISHA R. MOSS, Respondent-Appellant, and DARRICK MOSS, Respondent.

UNPUBLISHED March 11, 2008

No. 281693 Ingham Circuit Court Family Division LC No. 05-001101-NA

Before: O'Connell, P.J., and Borrello and Gleicher, JJ. PER CURIAM. Respondent1 appeals as of right from the trial court order terminating her parental rights to the minor child pursuant to MCL 712A.19b(3)(g) and (j). We affirm. This appeal has been decided without oral argument pursuant to MCR 7.214(E). On appeal, respondent argues that the requisite statutory grounds for termination were not established. We disagree. To terminate parental rights, the trial court must find that at least one of the statutory grounds for termination set forth in MCL 712A.19b(3) has been met by clear and convincing evidence. In re Trejo Minors, 462 Mich 341, 355-356; 612 NW2d 407 (2000). "Once a ground for termination is established, the court must issue an order terminating parental rights unless there exists clear evidence, on the whole record, that termination is not in the child's best interests." Id. at 354; see also MCL 712A.19b(5). We review for clear error both the trial

1

The child's father, Darrick Moss, is not included in this appeal, so our reference to the singular "respondent" refers solely to respondent-appellant.

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court's decision to terminate parental rights and its determination of the child's best interests. MCR 3.977(J); Trejo, supra at 356-357. The trial court did not clearly err in terminating respondent's parental rights pursuant to MCL 712A.19b(3)(g). Respondent was unable to demonstrate she could maintain proper employment, suitable housing, and a drug-free lifestyle in the nearly 2

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