In re M.C.

2024 Ohio 1243
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in In re M.C.. Read the opinion of the Court — 2021 Ohio 3703
Ohio Court of Appeals·Decided April 1, 2024·No. 16-23-06·Published

Opinion

[Cite as In re M.C., 2024-Ohio-1243.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT WYANDOT COUNTY

IN RE: CASE NO. 16-23-06

M.C.,

ADJUDICATED DEPENDENT CHILD. OPINION [COLLETTE B. - APPELLANT]

Appeal from Wyandot County Common Pleas Court Juvenile Division Trial Court No. C2212010

Judgment Affirmed

Date of Decision: April 1, 2024

APPEARANCES:

Howard A. Elliott for Appellant

Eric J. Figlewicz for Appellee Case No. 16-23-06

WILLAMOWKSI, P.J.

{¶1} Appellant Collette B. (“Mother”) brings this appeal from the judgment

of the Court of Common Pleas of Wyandot County, Juvenile Division, granting

residential parent status of M.C. to Dustin F. (“Father”). Mother claims on appeal

that the trial court erred by failing to make findings of reasonable efforts as to the

reunification plan and that the trial court’s determination was not supported by the

evidence. For the reasons set forth below, the judgment is affirmed.

{¶2} M.C. was born in 2011. On March 26, 2021, a complaint was filed by

the Wyandot County Department of Job and Family Services (“the Agency”)

alleging that M.C. was an abused, neglected, and dependent child and M.C. was

removed from the home. On April 29, 2021, Father was added to the case after his

paternity was established. The trial court held an adjudication hearing on June 7,

2021, at which Mother and Father admitted that M.C. was a dependent child. The

trial court subsequently ordered that M.C. remain in the temporary custody of the

Agency. The case plan then required Mother to 1) find safe housing, 2) maintain

employment, 3) visit with M.C., and 4) complete a mental health assessment.

Father, who had no previous contact with M.C. was required by the case plan to

visit with M.C. to establish a relationship.

{¶3} On December 16, 2021, Mother filed a motion for unsupervised

visitation with M.C. At that time, Father had already been granted unsupervised

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visits through the Agency. On January 12, 2022, Father filed a motion for legal

custody of M.C. Mother then filed a response to Father’s motion and a motion for

reunification and that Father’s visits be supervised. M.C. filed a motion for in-

camera interview to be able to speak with the trial court regarding her wishes. Prior

to the scheduled hearing on all pending motions, the parties reached an agreement.

The agreement was that Mother would have unsupervised visits after two successful

supervised visits. Father agreed to withdraw his motion for legal custody. Mother

agreed to withdraw her motion for reunification and that Father’s visits be

supervised as child had been placed with Father by the Agency under protective

supervision.

{¶4} On April 12, 2022, Father filed a new motion for legal custody. The

basis for the motion was that M.C. had been placed in his home in February of 2022,

and he believed it would be in M.C.’s best interest for her to remain there

permanently. Mother filed another motion for reunification on May 6, 2022.

Mother’s motion alleged that M.C. should be placed with her because the police

were called to Father’s home when a neighbor reported inappropriate physical

behavior by Father to M.C. Mother also alleged that her unsupervised visits with

M.C. were going well and that she had the ability to provide a stable environment

for M.C. The Agency filed a response to Mother’s motion asking that it be denied.

The Agency admitted that Father had intentionally tripped M.C. and that the police

“admonished” Father about his behavior, but did not choose to press charges or

-3- Case No. 16-23-06

remove M.C. from the home. The Agency indicated that Father was educated on

how to appropriately respond to M.C.’s physical outburst and was told that his

behavior was inappropriate. The Agency did not wish to move M.C. from the home

due to one isolated incident that did not result in harm and M.C. indicated she was

comfortable in the home. Finally, the Agency did not wish to move M.C. before the

psychological evaluation was completed because the child needed to remain in the

home for two months before the evaluation could be conducted. Moving M.C.

would again delay the assessment.

{¶5} The motions of Father and Mother were scheduled for a hearing on July

7, 2022. On June 29, 2022, the Agency supplemented its response to both motions

asking the trial court to deny both motions. The Agency noted that Mother had

made inappropriate statements to M.C. and was encouraging M.C. to act out in

Father’s home. The Agency also noted that Father had unilaterally stopped giving

M.C. her prescribed medication and had allowed M.C. to miss counseling sessions.

At the hearing, Mother and Father agreed to postpone their motions for a later date,

reached an agreement as to child support, and agreed to additional parenting classes.

{¶6} On February 24, 2023, the Agency filed a motion to terminate

temporary custody and to assign legal custody of M.C. to Father. Mother then filed

a motion for reunification on February 27, 2023, requesting that the trial court award

custody of M.C. to her. A hearing was held on these motions on June 9, 2023. Prior

to the hearing, the trial court conducted an in camera interview of M.C. and

-4- Case No. 16-23-06

indicated that the wishes of the child would be considered. Before the hearing

began, the Agency indicated that it was withdrawing its motion for Father to be

granted legal custody, instead indicating that both parents were suitable for

placement.

{¶7} The first witness presented by the Agency was Ronnie Cheney, the

guardian ad litem (“GAL”). GAL testified that M.C. had transferred schools

multiple times due to behavioral issues. GAL visited Father’s home three or four

times and observed M.C. in the home. M.C. usually appeared comfortable, but at

the last visit (February 2023), M.C. did not. GAL indicated that she did not trust

Father, so only went to the home when there was a third party available to

accompany GAL to the visit. According to GAL, the bonding between Father and

M.C. “fluctuated.” GAL did not trust Father because of an incident where M.C.

called the GAL to say M.C. was nervous to go to Father’s house where many

unknown relatives would be present. GAL then sent Father a text asking him if he

could scale down the crowd because it was causing M.C. to be anxious. Father

indicated that he would do so. The following Monday, Father called GAL’s director

and reported that GAL had “threatened” him, which was a false statement. The

GAL was also concerned about allegations of abuse in Father’s home. The GAL

stated that M.C.’s mental health has stabilized while in Father’s home. M.C. was

also doing well academically while in Father’s home. When asked about Mother,

-5- Case No. 16-23-06

GAL indicated that Mother is residing in a home with her husband. M.C. and

Mother’s husband appear comfortable with each other during visits.

{¶8} On cross-examination by Mother, GAL indicated that M.C. has issues

with other children bullying at her current school. M.C. reacts to the bullying “in

an extreme manner, such as threatening to hurt herself”. Tr. 29-30. Father reacted

appropriately to this and sought inpatient psychiatric help. GAL recommended that

M.C. attend school where Mother resides to give M.C. a new start in junior high.

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In re M.C., 2024 Ohio 1243 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).

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