In re B.S.

2016 Ohio 5811
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 14, 2016
Docket28198
StatusPublished

This text of 2016 Ohio 5811 (In re B.S.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re B.S., 2016 Ohio 5811 (Ohio Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

[Cite as In re B.S., 2016-Ohio-5811.]

STATE OF OHIO ) IN THE COURT OF APPEALS )ss: NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COUNTY OF SUMMIT )

IN RE: B.S. C.A. No. 28198 L.S.

APPEAL FROM JUDGMENT ENTERED IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS COUNTY OF SUMMIT, OHIO CASE Nos. DN 14-09-598 DN 14-09-599

DECISION AND JOURNAL ENTRY

Dated: September 14, 2016

CARR, Presiding Judge.

{¶1} Appellant, Janet M., appeals from a judgment of the Summit County Court of

Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, that terminated her parental rights to her two minor children

and placed them in the permanent custody of Summit County Children Services (“CSB”). This

Court affirms.

I.

{¶2} Janet M. (“Mother”) is the mother of B.S., born February 18, 2001, and L.S., born

June 26, 2004. In 2014, when this case began, Mother was married to David M. (“Stepfather”).

The father of the children, Lonnie S. (“Father”), has not appealed from the judgment of the trial

court.

{¶3} According to the complaint, CSB initially became involved with the family

through an “Alternative Response case” from April to July 2014. At that time, the agency

investigated reports that B.S. had multiple marks on his arms, with a concern that the marks 2

might be cigarette burns. The marks turned out to be eczema and/or bed bug bites that B.S. had

scratched. There were also concerns that B.S. exhibited sexualized behaviors and language at

school. He was referred for a sexual risk evaluation at Ohio Guidestone, which showed that B.S.

was at risk to offend, but Mother did not follow through with the recommended counseling for

him.

{¶4} CSB became involved with the family again when, on September 11, 2014, L.S.

told a teacher that B.S. attempted to hang himself. The school contacted Mother and advised her

to seek medical/mental health assistance for B.S. Mother took him to Child Guidance and

Family Solutions for crisis intervention. At the initial appointment, Mother claimed B.S.’s

attempt to harm himself was an effort to seek attention and she did not believe it was important

that he attend counseling.

{¶5} CSB, police, and paramedics responded to the home later that same day. B.S.

denied being actively suicidal at the time, but admitted that he had tried to harm himself several

times before, had homicidal ideations regarding a school mate, and had sexually abused L.S.

several times, including fondling and penetration, most recently just two days before. Mother

acknowledged that she knew about the inappropriate sexual behavior and stated that she has had

the boys alternate sleeping on the couch because they share a bedroom.

{¶6} CSB took L.S. to Akron Children’s Hospital for evaluation. There, L.S. reported

that he saw B.S. try to hang himself and that B.S. had kissed, fondled, and penetrated him.

Following the evaluation and pursuant to a safety plan, L.S. was placed in the home of his

paternal grandmother. Mother did not agree with that placement and wanted to keep both boys

in her care. Within a week, L.S. was back at Mother’s home where B.S. still resided. Mother

later testified that, upon consultation with a lawyer, she believed she could retrieve L.S. because 3

there was no court order. Mother said she stayed awake all night to ensure that the boys slept in

separate rooms.

{¶7} On September 18, 2014, CSB filed complaints in juvenile court, alleging that B.S.

was neglected and dependent, and that L.S. was abused, neglected, and dependent. The trial

court granted emergency temporary custody of B.S. to CSB, and the agency placed B.S. at

Guidestone for a residential evaluation. L.S. was allowed to remain in Mother’s custody under

an order of protective supervision with CSB. At the adjudicatory hearing, the parents stipulated

to the allegations in the complaint and the trial court entered adjudicatory findings consistent

with the complaint.

{¶8} L.S. was seen at the Care Center of Akron Children’s Hospital to further evaluate

the concerns of sexual abuse. It was difficult to understand the child because of a developmental

delay, but L.S. was able to communicate that something happened with his brother and with his

backside. He also communicated that he “got F’d,” but could not explain what that meant or

provide details. The Care Center recommended continued trauma therapy, believing that would

provide an opportunity for L.S. to build a relationship with a counselor and better explain what

happened. L.S. and Mother met with a trauma therapist eight times, but L.S. made little

progress. According to the therapist, L.S. refused to engage and became destructive with the

materials. The therapist opined that L.S. may have been cognitively unable to benefit from the

type of therapy that she was able to offer in the office and recommended intensive home-based

therapy instead.

{¶9} At the dispositional hearing in December 2014, the parents agreed to maintain the

same custodial arrangements, and the trial court so ordered. The trial court also adopted a case

plan. According to the case plan, B.S. was to complete a residential treatment program, which 4

included individual, group, and family therapy. L.S. was to participate in counseling to address

sexual abuse issues. Adult family members were to provide appropriate supervision of L.S. to

ensure he was no longer victimized. Mother and Stepfather were to participate in parenting

education to learn strategies for parenting both victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse. Mother,

Stepfather, and Father were to participate in family therapy with each child when determined to

be appropriate by their therapists. Stepfather was to complete a substance abuse evaluation to

address concerns of alcohol use. Father was to address anxiety and substance abuse issues

through counseling and random drug screens. Finally, Mother, Father, and Stepfather were

offered weekly visitation with B.S. at Guidestone.

{¶10} Over the course of time, several amendments were made to the case plan.

Father’s requirement for drug screens was removed following several negative test results, but a

similar requirement was added for Mother when concerns arose that Mother was using L.S.’s

prescription medication and marijuana. In addition, upon receiving reports that family members

were having inappropriate discussions with B.S., his visits and telephone calls were required to

be supervised.

{¶11} In April 2015, CSB moved to change the custodial disposition of L.S. from

Mother to CSB, based on L.S.’s poor school attendance and significant behavioral issues,

Mother’s failure to keep appointments for CSB’s home visits and with L.S.’s service providers,

Father’s failure to engage in counseling or parenting classes, and the fact that the family was

about to be evicted from their apartment. Shortly after the motion to change custody was filed,

Mother, Stepfather, and L.S. moved to Sandusky. CSB requested that the trial court refrain from

ruling on the motion to change custody until CSB was able to investigate the new residence of

the family. 5

{¶12} On May 18, 2015, the CSB caseworker and L.S.’s guardian ad litem met with the

family in Sandusky, where they discovered that the family of three was staying at the two-

bedroom apartment of a friend and his adult son. The caseworker was concerned that L.S. was

sharing a bedroom with the 21-year old son, although Mother claimed the 21-year-old was

seldom there. L.S.

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