State v. Krauss

80 N.E.2d 164, 81 Ohio App. 453, 37 Ohio Op. 282, 1945 Ohio App. LEXIS 534
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 27, 1945
Docket145
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 80 N.E.2d 164 (State v. Krauss) 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
State v. Krauss, 80 N.E.2d 164, 81 Ohio App. 453, 37 Ohio Op. 282, 1945 Ohio App. LEXIS 534 (Ohio Ct. App. 1945).

Opinion

Middleton, P. J.

This is an appeal on questions of law from a judgment of the Juvenile Court of Auglaize county.

Defendant was tried and found guilty as charged in the following affidavit:

“The state of Ohio, Auglaize county. Juvenile Court.

“Before me, Harry F. Wittenbrink, Judge and ex-officio clerk of the Juvenile Court in and for said county, personally appeared Edna Ralston residing at -St. Marys, Ohio, who, being first duly sworn according to law, says that on or about the 14th day of February, 1945, and on many other occasions in the county of Auglaize aforesaid, one Mildred Krauss, alias Mildred Howell Krauss, alias Mildred Howell residing at St. Marys, Ohio, did'aid, abet, cause, encourage and contribute toward or act in a way tending to cause the dependency and the neglect of the following children, to wit:

*454 “Arliss Ralston, a daughter, age eight years, and Sheldon Ralston, a son four months, in that she induced one Robert Ralston, husband of this affiant and father of Arliss Ralston and Sheldon Ralston, to openly and notoriously go out with her, the said Mildren Krauss, and did induce the said Robert Ralston to live with her in a clandestine manner for a long period of time and on one occasion went out with the said Robert Ralston in the presence of Arliss Ralston; that the said Mildred Krauss induced the said Robert Ralston to live with her for a long period of time so that he was unable to 'give said children the proper parental care and influence, thereby endangering the health of both said children and the morals of the oldest child, Arliss, and that all of her acts toward said children created conditions which tend to cause said children tb become neglected and dependent upon others for proper support and all of her acts toward said children are contrary to the statute in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio.

“Edna Ralston.

“Sworn to before me and signed in my presence, this 12th day of March, 1945.

“Harry F. Wittenbrink, Judge and ex-officio clerk of the Juvenile Court.”

The first assignment of error attacks the sufficiency of the affidavit which was attempted to be drawn under' Section 1639-45, General Code.

Defendant interposed the following motion at the commencement of the trial, which motion was overruled :

“First. That no testimony be accepted or permitted to go to the jury in this case.

“Second. That the court take the case from the *455 jury for the reason that there is no valid, legitimate lawful charge against the defendant.”

Section 1639-45, General Code, provides as follows:

“Whoever abuses a child or aids, abets, induces, causes, encourages or contributes toward the dependency, neglect or delinquency, as herein defined, of a child or a ward of the court, or acts in a way tending to cause delinquency in such child, or who aids, abets, induces, causes or encourages a child or a ward of the court, committed to the custody of any person, department, public or private institution, to leave the custody of such person, department, public or private institution, without legal - consent, shall be fined not less than five dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not less than ten days nor more than one year, or both. Bach day of such contribution to such dependency, neglect or delinquency, shall be deemed a separate offense. ’ ’

It will be noted that the affidavit does not charge that the defendant contributed to the delinquency of the minor, nor does it charge that the defendant acted in a way tending to cause the delinquency of the minor. Any charge set out in the affidavit must be predicated on Section 1639-45, Section 1639-3 or Section 1639-4, General Code.

Section 1639-3 reads:

“For the purpose of this chapter the words ‘neglected child’ includes any child:

“1. Who is abandoned by its parents, guardian or custodian.

“2. Who lacks proper parental care’ by reason of the faults or habits of its parents, guardian or custodian.

“3. Whose parents, guardian or custodian neglect or refuse to provide it with proper or necessary sub *456 sistence, education, medical or surgical care, or other care necessary for its health, morals or well being.

“4. Whose parents, guardian or custodian neglects or refuses to provide the special care made necessary by its mental condition.

“5. Who is found in a disreputable place, or visits or patronizes a place prohibited by law; or who associates with vagrant, vicious, criminal, notorious or immoral persons.

“6. Who engages in an occupation prohibited by law, or is in a situation dangerous to life or limb or injurious to the health or morals of itself or others.”

The affidavit charges that the defendant induced Robert Ralston to live with her for a long period of time “so that he was unable to give said children the proper parental care and influence, thereby endangering the health of both said children and the morals of the oldest child, Arliss.” There is no charge made in the affidavit that the two minor children were denied or did not receive proper parental care, as defined in Section 1639-3.

Section 1639-4 defines a dependent child as follows :

“1. Who is homeless or destitute or.without proper care or support, through no fault of its parents, guardian or custodian.

“2. Who lacks' proper care or support by reason of the mental or physical condition of its parents, guardian or custodian.

“3. Whose condition or environment is such as to warrant the state, in the interests of the child, in assuming its guardianship.”

The affidavit fails to set forth that the minors named, or either of them, were dependent, as defined in the above section.

The statement in the affidavit that the defendant did “act in a way tending to cause the dependency *457 and the neglect of the following children” charges no offense under the laws of the state of Ohio.

Section 1639-45 provides for punishment of one who “acts in a way tending to cause delinquency in such child. ’ ’

“The record of the conviction of the . minor child upon a charge of delinquency was properly admitted in evidence as tending to show that shé was a delinquent child, without proof of which the charge must fail no matter how culpable his acts may be, for if she had not become a delinquent then in the very nature •of things he could not have contributed to her delinquency. It is the initial fact to be proven, and the fact to which the evidence offered in the case ought to be first directed, and upon failure of proof of this fact the defendant would have been entitled to his discharge.” Fisher v. State, 84 Ohio St., 360, 369, 95 N. E., 908. See, also, Anss v. State, 16 Ohio App., 502.

“Affidavit charging defendant contributed to delinquency- of a minor

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Related

State v. Holbrook
121 N.E.2d 81 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1954)
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Bluebook (online)
80 N.E.2d 164, 81 Ohio App. 453, 37 Ohio Op. 282, 1945 Ohio App. LEXIS 534, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-krauss-ohioctapp-1945.