Ashley Mask and Wyatt Conner v. Arkansas Department of Human Services and Minor Child

── Ashley Mask and Wyatt Conner v. Arkansas Department of Human Services and Minor Child ── Court: Court of Appeals of Arkansas Date: March 11, 2026 Category: General Cite as 2026 Ark. App. 168 ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION II No. CV-25-472 Opinion Delivered March 11, 2026 ASHLEY MASK AND WYATT APPEAL FROM THE SHARP CONNER COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT APPELLANTS [NO. 68JV-23-72] V. HONORABLE ADAM G. WEEKS, ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF JUDGE HUMAN SERVICES AND MINOR CHILD APPELLEES AFFIRMED; MOTION TO WITHDRAW GRANTED BRANDON J. HARRISON, Judge The Sharp County Circuit Court terminated the parental rights of Ashley Mask and Wyatt Conner 1 to their daughter (MC, born 09/27/20). Mask has appealed and argues that the circuit court erred in finding that she had not remedied the conditions that caused removal and erred in finding that termination was in MC’s best interest. Counsel for Conner has filed a motion to withdraw and a no-merit brief pursuant to Linker-Flores v. Arkansas Department of Human Services, 359 Ark. 131, 194 S.W.3d 739 (2004), and Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 6-9(j) (2025), asserting that there are no issues of arguable merit to support an appeal. The clerk of this court made multiple attempts to send copies of counsel’s motion and brief to Conner, including at the address provided by Conner to 1 Conner and Mask were married when MC was born. 1 the clerk’s office, informing him of his right to file pro se points for reversal. The packet was returned to the clerk’s office with the message “Return to sender/not deliverable as addressed/unable to forward.” We affirm the termination of parental rights as to both parents and grant the motion to withdraw. On 30 October 2023, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) petitioned for emergency custody of MC. The accompanying affidavit explained that DHS’s history with this family began in 2008 with reports of substance abuse and environmental neglect. The affidavit also noted that MC has five siblings who have been removed from Mask’s and Conner’s custody and adopted by other families. The circumstances leading to MC’s removal began on October 26, when DHS received a report of neglect and failure to provide necessary food, clothing, and shelter to MC. The report alleged that MC was living with Conner in a camper with no electricity or water and that Conner uses drugs in the home. The report also alleged that Conner often leaves MC with an unknown male neighbor. On Friday, October 27, DHS caseworker Ted Ford requested that officers from the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office accompany him to Conner’s residence to investigate. Conner was on probation for terroristic threatening toward a judge and DHS staff, and he also had outstanding warrants. Officers met Conner at the front door of the camper and informed him that he would be taken into custody for the outstanding warrants. Conner told DHS that MC lived with her mother, not with him, but he was unable to reach Mask on the phone. DHS exercised custody of MC and provided her with food and a medical exam, which revealed a urinary tract infection. Mask contacted DHS and was told that DHS 2 would keep MC over the weekend. The circuit court granted DHS emergency custody on October 30 after Mask tested positive for methamphetamine. The court found probable cause to continue custody with DHS on November 1 and found that the family would benefit from participating in the family-centered treatment program. On December 5, the court adjudicated MC dependent-neglected on the basis of parental unfitness due to drug use. The court set the goal of the case as reunification and authorized DHS to arrange appropriate visitation.