In re C.M.

2022 Ohio 4707
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided December 27, 2022·No. 2022 CA 00029 & 2022 CA 00030·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

[Cite as In re C.M., 2022-Ohio-4707.]

COURT OF APPEALS FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

IN THE MATTER OF: C.M. JUDGES: Hon. Earle E. Wise, Jr., P.J. Hon. William B. Hoffman, J. Hon. Patricia A. Delaney, J.

Case Nos. 2022 CA 00029 & 2022 CA 00030

OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDINGS: Appeal from the Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division Case No. 2021 AB 35

JUDGMENT: Affirmed

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: December 27, 2022

APPEARANCES:

For Appellee - State of Ohio For Appellant – J.M. (Father)

R. KYLE WITT DAVID TAWNEY Fairfield County Prosecuting Attorney 117 West Main Street – Suite #208 Lancaster, Ohio 43130 GENYLYNN COSGROVE Assistant Prosecuting Attorney For Appellant – M.M. (Mother) 239 West Main Street – Suite #101 Lancaster, Ohio 43130 WILLIAM HOLT 2140 Lancaster-Newark Road, N.E. Lancaster, Ohio 43130 Fairfield County, Case Nos. 2022 CA 00029 & 2022 CA 00030 2

Guardian ad Litem For C.M.

THOMAS GORDON ROSSIA MERANDA 3135 Sun Valley Drive 33 West Main Street Pickerington, Ohio 43147 Newark, Ohio 43055 Fairfield County, Case Nos. 2022 CA 00029 & 2022 CA 00030 3

Hoffman, J. {¶1} In Fairfield App. No. 22CA29, appellant JM (“Father”) appeals the July 8,

2022 Judgment Entry/Orders on Objection to Magistrate’s Decision entered by the

Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, which overruled his

objections to the magistrate’s May 18, 2022 decision, upheld said decision, terminated

Father’s parental rights with respect to his minor child (“the Child”), and granted

permanent custody of the Child to appellee Fairfield County Child Protective Services

(“FCPS”). In Fairfield App. No. 22CA30, appellant MM (“Mother”) appeals the same with

respect to the termination of her parental rights as to the Child.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE AND FACTS

{¶2} Mother and Father are the biological parents of the Child. Paternity was

presumed as Mother and Father were married at the time of the Child’s birth. On March

16, 2021, FCPS filed a complaint, alleging the Child was dependent and requesting the

trial court order protective supervision of the Child to FCPS or, in the alternative, award

temporary custody of the Child to FCPS.

{¶3} FCPS filed the complaint after receiving a report Mother and other adults

were using opiates in the family home. The Child had access to drugs and drug

paraphernalia. The Child was reported to have used an electronic tablet immediately

after Mother snorted a substance off of it. Additional concerns included Mother’s sleep

patterns interfering with her ability to parent and supervise the Child; the Child being

developmentally delayed; the Child missing an excessive number of days of school; and

the Child eating food out of a dumpster. In addition, Mother had a history of involvement

with FCPS relative to the Child and another child, who is now an adult. Father, who had Fairfield County, Case Nos. 2022 CA 00029 & 2022 CA 00030 4

an extensive criminal history, was incarcerated at the time of the filing of the complaint on

drug related charges and was scheduled to be released on September 11, 2022.

{¶4} The trial court conducted a shelter care hearing on March 17, 2021, and

placed the Child in the temporary shelter court-ordered protective supervision of FCPS.

Following an adjudicatory hearing on May 28, 2021, the trial court found the Child to be

dependent and placed the Child in the temporary custody of FCPS. The trial court

conducted review hearings on September 15, and December 14, 2021, and maintained

the status quo. FCPS filed a motion for permanent custody on February 17, 2022.

{¶5} The trial court conducted a hearing on the motion on May 10, 2022. Father

appeared virtually although his attorney was present in the courtroom. Prior to

commencement of the hearing, counsel for Parents requested a continuance on behalf

of their clients to allow Parents additional time to work on their case plan services. The

trial court denied the request, noting, if the facts as testified to at the hearing supported

Parents’ positions, the trial court would find such and deny FCPS’s motion for permanent

custody.

{¶6} The following evidence was presented at the hearing:

{¶7} Lacey Carrel, a treatment service coordinator with the Recovery Center,

testified she completed an assessment of Mother on June 17, 2021. Although Carrel

scheduled a follow-up appointment, Mother did not present for the meeting. Based upon

the assessment, Carrel recommended Mother engage in an education group and

complete a re-assessment upon completion of the group program. Mother began the

education group on July 13, 2021, and completed it on August 17, 2021. Mother failed to

attend the scheduled re-assessment appointment on September 1, 2021. Carrel’s Fairfield County, Case Nos. 2022 CA 00029 & 2022 CA 00030 5

attempts to re-engage Mother were unsuccessful. Carrel eventually closed Mother’s

case.

{¶8} Rachel Marshall, an intake supervisor with FCPS, testified FCPS received

an initial report regarding the Child on January 21, 2021. The initial concerns were

neglect and physical abuse of the Child perpetrated by Mother. FCPS conducted an

investigation and, as a result, sought and received a shelter care order. At the time of the

investigation, Mother admitted to daily methamphetamine use. Mother completed an on-

site screen at the agency, which was positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine, and

methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“MDMA”). FCPS implemented a safety plan with

Mother’s mother, but she was only able to care for the Child for a limited period of time.

The initial concerns did not involve Father. Marshall explained Father was incarcerated

during the course of FCPS’s investigation.

{¶9} Austin Miller, a felony probation officer, supervised Father while he was on

community control. Miller explained Father had two separate cases, both of which

involved drug-related offenses. Father received judicial release in June, 2021. Miller

began supervising him in July, 2021, at which time Father failed to report. A warrant was

issued and Father was arrested on August 17, 2021. Father served a seven-day jail

sentence. He was released on August 24, 2021. Father reported to Miller for two weeks,

then failed to report on September 17, 2021.

{¶10} Father was arrested on February 10, 2022. Miller subsequently filed a

motion to revoke Father’s community control based upon the following violations: failure

to report on September 17, 2021; failure to maintain total sobriety (Father admitted using

methamphetamines on February 24, 2022); and failure to comply with counseling orders Fairfield County, Case Nos. 2022 CA 00029 & 2022 CA 00030 6

(Father failed to follow the recommendations from Lancaster Recovery Services and was

unsuccessfully terminated from counseling). Following a hearing, Father was continued

on community control with orders to enter and successfully complete the Northwest

Community Corrections Program. Father was engaged in the program at the time of the

hearing.

{¶11} Ashton Clark, the ongoing caseworker assigned to the family, detailed

Mother and Father’s case plan requirements. Mother’s case plan required her to meet

with her FCPS caseworker in person at least once a month; complete an AOD (alcohol

and other drugs) assessment and follow all recommendations; complete a mental health

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In re C.M., 2022 Ohio 4707 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022).

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