Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
IN RE: SHAUN H., A Dependent Child Under Eighteen Years of Age, etc., Monique B., Respondent–Appellant, v. Administration for Children's Services, Petitioner–Respondent.
Order, Family Court, New York County (Jane Pearl, J.), entered on or about January 19, 2017, which, inter alia, found that respondent mother neglected the subject child by failing to provide him with proper supervision or guardianship as alleged in paragraphs 1a, 1b and 2a of the petition, unanimously modified, on the law and the facts, to vacate the finding that respondent neglected the child as alleged in paragraph 1b of the petition by failing to plan for him, and otherwise affirmed, without costs.
A preponderance of the evidence supports the finding of neglect based upon respondent's marijuana use, because the caseworker testified that respondent told her that she was “smoking marijuana eight to 10 times per week to deal with her stress.” Moreover, respondent testified that she told Sanchez that she had used marijuana because she liked it (see Matter of Christina G. [Vladimir G.], 100 A.D.3d 454, 454–455, 957 N.Y.S.2d 1 [1st Dept. 2012], lv denied 20 N.Y.3d 859, 2013 WL 537153 [2013] ). Respondent failed to rebut petitioner's prima facie case of neglect by showing that she was voluntarily and regularly participating in a drug rehabilitation program (see Matter of Keoni Daquan A. [Brandon W.-April A.], 91 A.D.3d 414, 415, 937 N.Y.S.2d 160 [1st Dept. 2012] ).
A preponderance of the evidence adduced at the fact-finding hearing also showed that respondent neglected the child by failing to provide him with proper supervision and guardianship by attempting to leave him at a local fire station with people she did not know and who told her that they do not take children. Under these circumstances, the court properly determined that the child was at imminent risk of harm (see Matter of Lashina P., 52 A.D.3d 293, 294, 859 N.Y.S.2d 443 [1st Dept. 2008] ).
The finding that respondent failed to plan for the child as alleged in paragraph 1b of the petition is vacated because the caseworker testified that respondent agreed to services.
Thank you for your feedback!
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Docket No: 6579
Decided: May 17, 2018
Court: Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)
Harness the power of our directory with your own profile. Select the button below to sign up.
Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)