In re K.C.

2014 Ohio 3429
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in In re K.C.. Read the opinion of the Court — 2014 Ohio 372
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided August 7, 2014·No. CA2013-12-119 CA2013-12-120·Published

Opinion

[Cite as In re K.C., 2014-Ohio-3429.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

TWELFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO

WARREN COUNTY

IN THE MATTER OF: : CASE NOS. CA2013-12-119 K.C. : CA2013-12-120

: OPINION 8/7/2014 :

:

APPEAL FROM WARREN COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS JUVENILE DIVISION Case No. 11-D00645

David P. Fornshell, Warren County Prosecuting Attorney, Michael Greer, 500 Justice Drive, Lebanon, Ohio 45036, for appellee, Warren County Children's Services

Michael K. Allen & Associates, Mary K. Martin, 5181 Natorp Blvd., Suite 210, Mason, Ohio 45040, for appellant, B.C.

Andrew J. Brenner, 7588 Central Parke Blvd., Suite 133, Mason, Ohio 45040, for CASA

John C. Kaspar, 130 Mulberry Street, Lebanon, Ohio 45036, for minor child

Jennifer C., 3064 Lytle Road, Waynesville, Ohio 45068, appellant, pro se

HENDRICKSON, P.J.

{¶ 1} Appellants, the biological father and paternal grandmother of K.C., appeal a

decision of the Warren County Juvenile Court granting permanent custody of the child to a

children services agency and denying the grandmother's motion for legal custody. Warren CA2013-12-119 CA2013-12-120

{¶ 2} On May 17, 2011, Warren County Children Services filed a complaint alleging

K.C. was a neglected and abused child. The complaint indicated that the agency received a

referral that the child had a handprint mark on his face. The child's father was arrested and

charged with child endangerment for the incident. The complaint also alleged that the father

had a previous child endangerment charge for an incident in which K.C. was discovered

wandering down the street without clothes on while the father was in bed sleeping. The

complaint further alleged that the agency had previous contact with the family based on

referrals of an unsanitary home. At the time, K.C., his mother and father were all living in his

paternal grandmother's house.

{¶ 3} Emergency shelter care was granted to the agency and K.C. was placed in a

foster home. A case plan was prepared for reunification of the family. The trial court

adjudicated K.C. a neglected and abused child on July 15, 2011 and in August, temporary

custody was granted to the agency.

{¶ 4} The father made progress on the case plan aimed towards reunification.

However, problems arose regarding the parental relationship and the agency received

additional allegations of physical abuse. On October 19, 2012, the agency moved for

permanent custody of the child. The paternal grandmother filed a motion for legal custody of

the child on December 11, 2012.

{¶ 5} A hearing on the agency's motion for permanent custody and the grandmother's

motion for legal custody began on February 25, 2013. The trial was held over 11 days and

concluded on August 28, 2013.

{¶ 6} At the hearing, K.C.'s preschool teacher and the preschool director testified

regarding their involvement with the family prior to the child's removal from the home. The

teacher and director both testified that they had concerns because K.C. came to school dirty

and unkempt and had behavior problems. The director indicated that although she has been -2- Warren CA2013-12-119 CA2013-12-120

in education for 35 years, what she saw was "shocking." She described K.C. as a "lost child"

or a "feral child" who had no attention span. She observed the child eating food out of the

garbage and licking water out of paint jars like a dog. K.C. had a rash from his back to mid-

thigh and his body and clothes were caked in feces and reeked of urine to the point that other

children were isolating him because of the smell.

{¶ 7} The preschool teacher indicated the same concerns, indicating that when K.C.

first came into the classroom, it was like letting a wild animal out of a cage. The preschool

received permission from the family to bathe K.C. at school and bought clothes and

underwear for him. The teacher set aside some snacks to give K.C. when he came into the

classroom each day. Both the teacher and director described the progress that K.C. made

during the school year, both socially and academically. The director indicated that the

progress she observed indicated that it was not that K.C. was unable to do things, but instead

that he had not been environmentally exposed to those things. She indicated that he was a

smart child, but did not have the environment to grow in. She stated that some of his issues

may be developmental, but the majority of issues were environmental, including not enough

structure and stimuli to engage and learn.

{¶ 8} Two agency caseworkers testified at the hearing. The first caseworker testified

that the agency had a history of multiple calls regarding the family, including calls regarding

broken bones and cuts and the condition of the child. She indicated the referrals alleged that

K.C. was dirty, smelled of urine and had feces on his legs. The agency investigated and

found the home in "deplorable" condition. An investigation found animal feces on the carpet

and floor, and the home was cluttered and had other safety concerns. The agency received

another referral in April 2011 reporting that K.C. was wandering down the street, without

clothes on, pulling a wagon. When police responded, they found the father asleep in the

house and he was charged with child endangerment. In May 2011, the agency received a -3- Warren CA2013-12-119 CA2013-12-120

referral that K.C. had a handprint on his face and an investigation revealed that the father

had slapped the child and left a mark on his face. The father was charged with child

endangerment a second time and the agency filed a complaint alleging the child was abused

and neglected.

{¶ 9} The agency prepared a case plan with reunification as the goal. The mother

and father were required to complete parenting classes and a mental health assessment.

The child's mother was sporadic in her visits, did not complete her case plan, and her mental

health was still a concern, as she had indicated she had thoughts of harming the child.

During conversations with the agency, the mother indicated she was not interested in

reunification, but still wanted to visit with her son.

{¶ 10} The father completed parenting classes. He also completed a mental health

assessment. The caseworker indicated that there were problems with visitations between

K.C. and his parents. She testified that the child often did not interact or acknowledge the

parents at visits and would spit, kick and throw things, and the parents were unable to control

him. The caseworker testified that after completing parenting classes, the father would

attempt to redirect K.C.'s behavior, but was not successful and she saw no improvement in

the father's parenting skills. The agency held visits at the agency visitation center and also at

the foster mother's home in an effort to improve the interaction between K.C. and his parents.

The foster mother would model parenting behavior for the parents.

{¶ 11} After removal from the home, K.C. completed an autism evaluation, but was not

diagnosed with the disorder. However, he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity

disorder (ADHD) and began taking medication for the condition.

{¶ 12} The caseworker indicated that by spring 2012, the condition of the home was

greatly improved. In March 2012, the agency felt the case was progressing and began to

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In re K.C., 2014 Ohio 3429 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).

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