Mother’s Interference With Relationship Between Father and Child Warranted Modification of Custody Arrangement Entered Into by Stipulation

The Second Department determined father had made a sufficient showing of a change in circumstances to justify a modification of custody arrangements created by stipulation:

Here, the father established that there had been a sufficient change in circumstances since the time of the stipulation. Specifically, he demonstrated that the mother had interfered with his relationship with the child, such that a modification in the custody arrangement was in the best interests of the child. The mother’s unfounded allegations of sexual abuse of a child that she made against the father were an act of interference with the parent-child relationship so inconsistent with the best interests of the child as to raise a strong probability that the mother is unfit to act as custodial parent … . The mother’s conduct here in making these unfounded allegations demonstrated a purposeful placement of her self-interest above the interests of others … . The record shows that the father is more likely than the mother to foster a relationship between the child and the noncustodial parent … . The mother’s unfounded allegations of sexual abuse of a child, along with her other acts of interference in the relationship between the father and child since the stipulation, established a sound and substantial basis for the Family Court’s determination that there had been a sufficient change in circumstances warranting a modification of the custody arrangement in the child’s best interests. Matter of Fargasch v Alves, 2014 NY Slip Op 02435, 2nd Dept 4-9-14