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Admissible Hearsay Concerning the Child’s Injuries and Evidence Relevant to the Child’s Motivation to Lie Should Not Have Been Excluded from the Neglect Proceeding

The Second Department determined Family Court erred in excluding evidence from a neglect proceeding.  The excluded evidence included hearsay statements by a police officer included in the Investigative Progress notes indicating the child’s (Jonell H’s) bruises were not severe, and evidence relevant to the child’s motivation to lie:

At the fact-finding hearing, the Family Court erred in excluding from evidence Investigation Progress notes dated April 18, 2010, indicating that a police officer had informed a caseworker that the officer had visited Jonell H. shortly after the alleged neglect took place and observed that the bruises on her right arm were “not serious” and that “[t]here [are] not other visible bruises/marks observed” on her. These notes were admissible under the business records exception to the hearsay rule since the caseworker was under a duty to maintain a comprehensive case record for Jonell H., and the officer had a duty to report his or her observations of her condition … .

The Family Court also erred in precluding the mother from calling four particular witnesses to testify. Those witnesses would have given testimony pertaining to Jonell H.’s motivation to lie. Extrinsic proof tending to establish a reason to fabricate is never collateral and may not be excluded on that ground … . Similarly, the court should not have excluded from evidence Family Service Progress notes containing statements by Jonell H.’s foster parents relevant to her motivation to lie. Foster parents are “employees who [are] under a business duty to timely record and report all matters concerning the physical, mental, and emotional conditions of the children in their care to the foster care agency” … .  Matter of Grayson J, 2014 NY Slip Op 04934, 2nd Dept 7-2-14

 

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