In re C.A.

2024 Ohio 4600
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 20, 2024
DocketC-240335
StatusPublished

This text of 2024 Ohio 4600 (In re C.A.) 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 C.A., 2024 Ohio 4600 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).

Opinion

[Cite as In re C.A., 2024-Ohio-4600.] IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO

IN RE: C.A., I.C., P.C., AND L.A. : APPEAL NO. C-240335 TRIAL NO. F18-1402X :

: O P I N I O N.

Appeal From: Hamilton County Juvenile Court

Judgment Appealed From Is: Affirmed

Date of Judgment Entry on Appeal: September 20, 2024

Jeffrey J. Cutcher, for Appellant Mother,

Melissa A. Powers, Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney, and Thomas Koopman, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for Appellee Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services,

Robert Adam Hardin, for the Children’s Guardian Ad Litem. OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

WINKLER, Judge. {¶1} Appellant mother appeals the decision of the Hamilton County Juvenile

Court granting permanent custody of three of her children to the Hamilton County

Department of Job and Family Services (“HCJFS”). We find no merit in her two

assignments of error, and we affirm the juvenile court’s judgment.

I. Factual Background

{¶2} On September 19, 2018, HCJFS obtained an ex parte award of

emergency custody for I.C., P.C., C.A., and L.A. W.C. is the father of I.C. and P.C., and

J.W. is the father of C.A. and L.A. Neither father was meaningfully involved in the

case, and they have not appealed the juvenile court’s decision. Mother had another

child who reached the age of majority and aged out of the system. I.C. was placed in a

Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (“PPLA.”), which mother does not contest.

She has also reached the age of majority and is not the subject of this appeal.

{¶3} On September 20, 2018, HCJFS received interim custody of P.C. and

interim orders of protective supervision for I.C., C.A., and L.A. Subsequently, the

children were adjudicated dependent, due in part to P.C.’s special needs and mother’s

inability to protect the other children from P.C. P.C. was placed in the temporary

custody of HCJFS, and interim protective orders for the other children were

terminated without any further court orders. On June 8, 2020, HCJFS filed a motion

to modify temporary custody of P.C. to permanent custody.

{¶4} On February 6, 2020, HCJFA obtained an ex parte award of emergency

custody of I.C., C.A. and L.A. I.C. was adjudicated dependent and neglected, and C.A.

and L.A. were adjudicated dependent. Part of the reason for the adjudications was

that mother was incarcerated for assault on a family member. Mother had reported to

a caseworker that she believed her sister was going to harm one of her children, so she

2 OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

pulled a fork out of her bra and stabbed her. Additionally, I.C. repeatedly had soiled

clothes and extreme body odor at school. Mother denied that the children had special

needs. HCJFS was granted temporary custody of the children.

{¶5} On October 5, 2022, HCJFS filed a motion to modify temporary custody

to permanent custody for I.C., C.A., and L.A. Subsequently, it withdrew that motion

as to I.C., and filed a motion to modify temporary custody to a PPLA.

A. Concerns about Mother

{¶6} Kayla Petrosky was the caseworker for the family from October 2020

until August 2022. She testified that when she first had responsibility for the case,

the concerns were mother’s mental health, her cognitive functioning, her out-of-

control behaviors, and her ability to meet the children’s extensive needs. As part of

the case plan, mother was to sign releases of information, complete a diagnostic

assessment, complete a psychiatric assessment, complete parenting education,

complete random toxicology screens, participate in the children’s treatment, resolve a

criminal matter, refrain from receiving additional criminal charges, regularly visit the

children, and maintain stable housing and income.

{¶7} Mother engaged in some mental-health services. But she was

inconsistent with therapy. She went months without meeting with her therapists.

According to Petrosky, mother had a pattern of not engaging in services for months,

and then reengaging for a time before she stopped again. Conversations with mother

were dominated by mother’s assertions that she did not need therapy and did not have

problems with anger or impulse control.

{¶8} Petrosky initially supervised some of mother’s visits with the children.

At one visit, mother brought a man to the visit. Petrosky asked him to leave, and

mother got angry and yelled at her. Petrosky testified that many of her interactions

3 OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

with mother involved her being combative and argumentative. Petrosky reported that

she had observed several different men in mother’s home. When she questioned

mother about it, mother told her it was none of her business and had nothing to do

with the children. Petrosky repeatedly had the same conversation with mother about

unknown men in her home and why it mattered to HCJFS.

{¶9} Eventually mother began living with N.H., whom she later referred to

as her fiancé. Petrosky attempted to engage with N.H. to discuss his background. He

was incarcerated for a while after he began living with mother. When Petrosky

broached the subject with mother, mother and N.H. told her that N.H.’s twin brother

was the wrongdoer, and N.H. spent time in jail unjustly. N.H. never provided his

fingerprints to HCJFS so it could complete a background check on him.

{¶10} Mother’s housing was stable. She had lived in the same house since

early in the case. Mother’s rent was $900. Mother was unemployed and received

$700 a month in social security disability. When Petrosky asked mother how she was

able to pay bills, mother stated that friends help her.

{¶11} While the case was pending, mother was convicted of operating a vehicle

while impaired (“OVI”). She opted to go to Talbert House in lieu of jail as a result of

her conviction. Mother told Petrosky that Talbert House had nothing to do with

alcohol issues. Mother also had a previous OVI conviction, and Petrosky had observed

empty liquor bottles in the trash. Petrosky referred mother for random toxicology

screens. Mother argued with her about the screens and said that she did not

understand why needed to have them. Petrosky referred mother for five or more

screens, and she did not attend any of them.

{¶12} Petrosky subsequently transferred the case to another caseworker.

During the two years that Petrosky had the case, mother had completed a diagnostic

4 OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

assessment, a psychiatric assessment, and parenting training. She attended therapy

sporadically and was not engaged in her children’s services.

{¶13} Bailee Brown became the family’s caseworker in April 2023. HCFJS had

continued concerns about mother’s ability to meet the children’s needs and the

previous family violence. HCJFS referred mother for an updated diagnostic

assessment and for two toxicology screens. Mother attended only one of the screens,

and she tested positive for marijuana. At the time of the hearings on the motion for

permanent custody, mother was not engaged in mental-health services.

B. Visitation

{¶14} While Petrosky had previously supervised visits, they were later

facilitated by the Family Nurturing Center (“FNC”). Mother’s visits remained

supervised at the facilitated level.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2024 Ohio 4600, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-ca-ohioctapp-2024.