In Re Term of Parental Rights as to O.L. and K.L.

── In Re Term of Parental Rights as to O.L. and K.L. ── Court: Court of Appeals of Arizona Date: April 23, 2026 Category: General NOTICE: NOT FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. UNDER ARIZONA RULE OF THE SUPREME COURT 111(c), THIS DECISION IS NOT PRECEDENTIAL AND MAY BE CITED ONLY AS AUTHORIZED BY RULE. IN THE ARIZONA COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION ONE IN RE TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO O.L. and K.L. No. 1 CA-JV 25-0161 FILED 04-23-2026 Appeal from the Superior Court in Maricopa County No. JD43872 The Honorable Suzanne E. Cohen, Judge AFFIRMED COUNSEL John L. Popilek PC, Scottsdale By John L. Popilek Counsel for Appellant Mother Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Phoenix By Veronica F. Rios Counsel for Appellee Department of Child Safety Maricopa County Office of the Legal Advocate, Phoenix By Amanda Adams Counsel for Appellee Children  IN RE TERM OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO O.L. and K.L. Decision of the Court MEMORANDUM DECISION Presiding Judge Michael S. Catlett delivered the decision of the Court, in which Judge Angela K. Paton and Judge Jennifer M. Perkins joined. C A T L E T T, Judge: ¶1 Ashley T. (“Mother”) appeals an order terminating her parental rights to her children. Because reasonable evidence supported termination, we affirm. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY ¶2 Mother and David L. (“Father”) are the parents of O.L., born in August 2015, and K.L., born in May 2019 (“the Children”). ¶3 Father is not party to this appeal. Though he appealed the court’s termination order, he did not file an opening brief, so we dismissed his appeal. See Ariz. R.P. Juv. Ct. 607(e)(4). ¶4 Beginning in 2023, the Department of Child Safety (“the Department”) received multiple reports about unsafe conditions in the parents’ home and about the Children’s poor hygiene. On January 31, 2024, an investigator from the Department responded to a report that O.L. went to school smelling of urine and wearing misfitting clothes. O.L. reported he had no food at home, so the school sent him home with food boxes. He also disclosed he had not showered in two weeks. And he complained of tooth pain—the investigator observed O.L. had no front teeth. ¶5 On January 31, 2024, the Department’s investigator tried to meet with the parents at their home, but they would not answer the door. The next day, the investigator returned and saw the Children’s maternal aunt leaving. When the investigator spoke with her, she said she believed the parents were inside using fentanyl. ¶6 School staff reported to the Department that on February 1, 2024, Mother appeared to be on drugs when picking up O.L. from school. The investigator contacted Mother, who appeared to be intoxicated and struggled to answer questions. The Department removed the Children that same day and petitioned for dependency. 2  IN RE TERM OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AS TO O.L. and K.L. Decision of the Court ¶7 Upon removal, the Department referred Mother to undergo rule-out drug testing at Physician Services Inc. (“PSI”). Mother went to PSI but refused to take a urinalysis (“UA”) test, and her hair was too short to provide a hair follicle sample. In March 2024, she returned to PSI to take a UA drug test, which was negative for substances, but she again did not take a hair follicle test. ¶8 In April 2024, Mother pleaded no contest to dependency. The juvenile court found the Children dependent based on Mother’s substance abuse, Mother’s filthy home, and the Children’s hygiene problems. The court ordered Mother to submit to UA testing until she could complete a hair follicle test. ¶9 For the next eight months, Moth