Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District / Dec 28, 2021
K.T.L. by Her Next Friend, K.L.., and K.L. Individually, Respondents, vs. A.G., Appellant.
A.G., a third-party petitioner, appealed the trial court's judgment awarding sole custody of the minor child, K.T.L., to her biological father, K.L., following the mother's death. A.G. claimed the child's welfare required an award of third-party custody. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision, concluding that A.G. failed to meet her burden to rebut the natural-parent presumption under the "welfare" prong of § 452.375.5(5)(a), particularly due to her conduct in discouraging the child's relationship with the father.