In re S.P.

2021 Ohio 25
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 8, 2021
DocketL-20-1127
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 2021 Ohio 25 (In re S.P.) 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 S.P., 2021 Ohio 25 (Ohio Ct. App. 2021).

Opinion

[Cite as In re S.P., 2021-Ohio-25.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO SIXTH APPELLATE DISTRICT LUCAS COUNTY

In re S.P., A.B., X.B. Court of Appeals No. L-20-1127

Trial Court Nos. JC 19273033 JC 19273548

DECISION AND JUDGMENT

Decided: January 8, 2021

*****

Adam H. Houser, for appellant.

Jeremy G. Young, for appellee.

PIETRYKOWSKI, J.

{¶ 1} This is an appeal from the judgment of the Lucas County Court of Common

Pleas, Juvenile Division, which awarded permanent custody of the minor children, S.P.,

A.B., and X.B., to appellee, Lucas County Children Services (“LCCS”), thereby

terminating the parental rights of mother-appellant, C.F. For the reasons that follow, we

affirm. I. Facts and Procedural Background

{¶ 2} The present matter was initiated on February 15, 2019, when LCCS filed a

complaint in dependency, abuse, and neglect pertaining to five of mother’s children.

R.B. is the father of the two older children, Ru.B. and Sh.B. Se.P. is the father of the

middle child, S.P. S.B. is the father of the two younger children, A.B. and X.B. For

purposes of this appeal, only the court’s disposition regarding the three younger children,

S.P., A.B., and X.B., is at issue.1

{¶ 3} The complaint alleged that S.B., the father of the two younger children,

raped and sexually assaulted the second oldest child, Sh.B. The behavior was alleged to

be ongoing until Sh.B. moved out of the house. Of particular note is that in June 2016,

Sh.B. became pregnant with what was alleged to be S.B.’s child. The complaint alleged

that mother was aware of S.B.’s behavior for over one and one-half years, but did nothing

to stop the behavior or protect the children. Even after LCCS became involved with the

family, mother would sneak S.B. into the home and hide him in a closet whenever

someone came by.

{¶ 4} A shelter care hearing was then held at which the trial court awarded

temporary custody of the children to LCCS.

{¶ 5} Thereafter, on May 14, 2019, M.W., the paternal grandmother of A.B. and

X.B., filed a pro se motion for legal custody of those children. That motion was heard in

1 LCCS ultimately was granted legal custody of mother’s two older children, Ru.B. and Sh.B., to place them in a planned permanent living arrangement.

2. conjunction with the adjudication hearing held on June 26, 2019. Following the hearing,

the trial court found that S.P., A.B., and X.B. were neglected and dependent. The trial

court further found that M.W.’s motion for legal custody was not well-taken, and that

legal custody to M.W. was not in the children’s best interest due to issues of housing,

potential sexual assault, and the extreme special needs of A.B.

{¶ 6} On November 20, 2019, M.W., through counsel, again filed a motion for

legal custody of A.B. and X.B. On January 2, 2020, LCCS moved for permanent custody

of S.P., A.B., and X.B.

{¶ 7} Both matters were heard on July 14, 2020. Notably, mother was not present

at the hearing as she was incarcerated at the time. However, mother was represented by

counsel at the hearing, and an objection was made regarding her absence.

{¶ 8} At the July 14, 2020 hearing, Latosha Duran testified as a witness for LCCS.

Duran is a counselor for X.B., who is seven years old. Duran testified that X.B. has

Reactive Attachment Disorder, which makes it difficult for him to attach with his

caregivers, and manifests itself in anger, emotional outbursts, and lying. Duran explained

that X.B. has had several different placements disrupted due to his behavior, which

included setting a fire in a trashcan and breaking a television. Duran testified that X.B.

has recently been placed in a therapeutic foster home, with the hope that the foster family

will be more capable to address and help X.B. work through his behaviors.

{¶ 9} Another of X.B.’s counselors, Krista McCulloch, testified. McCulloch also

testified that X.B. exhibited signs of Reactive Attachment Disorder. She explained that

3. as X.B. becomes more attached to a caregiver, he acts out in an attempt to push the

caregiver away. McCulloch agreed that X.B. needed a caregiver who understood the

disorder and could work through the behaviors. McCulloch also testified that she

believed that X.B.’s behaviors were caused by severe neglect in his biological home.

X.B. revealed to McCulloch through play therapy that his father, S.B., would “beat on

him,” and that mother would not nurture or care for him in the way that he needed.

{¶ 10} In addition to counseling X.B., McCulloch also counseled S.P. and Sh.B.

As to S.P., who was 11 years old, McCulloch testified that she has been diagnosed with

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Reactive Attachment Disorder stemming from the

severe physical and emotional abuse that she experienced. S.P. reported that her

stepfather, S.B., has choked her, hit her, called her a whore and a slut, and threatened her.

Recently, S.P. began to report that S.B. sexually abused her as well. McCulloch testified

that through therapy, S.P. is making tremendous progress. McCulloch described S.P. as a

wonderful girl, outgoing and expressive. Regarding potential placements for S.P.,

McCulloch testified that S.P. has been building a relationship with a cousin in Virginia.

The cousin is a licensed foster parent, and has expressed a willingness to engage in

further training and family therapy sessions to help S.P. address the issues she is facing.

According to McCulloch, S.P. is extremely excited about the potential plan to move to

Virginia to live with her cousin.

{¶ 11} McCulloch also testified as it relates to some concerns with M.W.

McCulloch testified that while X.B. talks about M.W. frequently and in a positive way,

4. the same could not be said for S.P. and Sh.B. S.P. and Sh.B. have both reported to

McCulloch that M.W. was aware of the abuse that was occurring in the home by her son,

S.B., but did nothing about it. Sh.B. reported that she was present during a time when

mother talked in front of M.W. about the sexual abuse that was occurring in the home.

Sh.B. also reported that M.W. lived with the family for a period of about one year, and

during that time witnessed severe domestic violence between S.B. and mother, and S.B.

and the other children.

{¶ 12} Sr.B., mother’s adult daughter, testified next for LCCS. Sr.B. testified that

she did not think M.W. should have custody of A.B. and X.B. Sr.B. testified that M.W.

had a history of drug use, and had been a self-described crack addict. Although M.W.

now appeared to be clean, Sr.B. testified that M.W. drank alcohol all day, beginning at

10:00 in the morning. Sr.B. described that M.W. was never violent or belligerent, but

that she could just tell that M.W. had been drinking.

{¶ 13} In addition, Sr.B. testified that S.B. began sexually assaulting her when she

was 13 years old, and continued to do so until she left the house at age 17. Sr.B.

explained that one time, mother and S.B. got into an argument and mother called S.B. “a

child molester.” When M.W. asked why mother would call S.B. a child molester, Sr.B.

interjected that it was because S.B. was molesting her, to which M.W. replied “Well, my

son loves you.” M.W. did not do anything to intervene or stop the abuse. Sr.B. testified

that she does not believe that A.B. and X.B. should be around S.B., and she is afraid that

M.W.

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2021 Ohio 25, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-sp-ohioctapp-2021.