The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the removal application should not have been granted and father’s appeal of the removal was not moot, even though the child had been returned to the father:
Although it is undisputed that the child has been returned to the father’s care, the father’s appeals are not academic. The child’s removal created a permanent and significant stigma … .
“In determining a removal application pursuant to Family Court Act § 1027, the court must engage in a balancing test of the imminent risk with the best interests of the child and, where appropriate, the reasonable efforts made to avoid removal or continuing removal'” … . Here, the petitioner failed to establish that the child would be subjected to imminent risk if she were not placed in the custody of the petitioner pending the outcome of the neglect proceeding. Under the circumstances of this case, concerns about, inter alia, the adequacy of the father’s plan to care for the child did not amount to an imminent risk to the child’s life or health that could not be mitigated by reasonable efforts to avoid removal. Matter of Emmanuela B. (Jean E.B.), 2017 NY Slip Op 01195, 2nd Dept 2-15-17
FAMILY LAW (NEGLECT, REMOVAL, CHILD SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM FATHER’S CARE, EVEN THOUGH CHILD HAS BEEN RETURNED, APPEAL NOT MOOT BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA OF REMOVAL)/APPEALS (FAMILY LAW, CHILD SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM FATHER’S CARE, EVEN THOUGH CHILD HAS BEEN RETURNED, APPEAL NOT MOOT BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA OF REMOVAL)/NEGLECT (CHILD SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM FATHER’S CARE, EVEN THOUGH CHILD HAS BEEN RETURNED, APPEAL NOT MOOT BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA OF REMOVAL)/REMOVAL (CHILD NEGLECT, FAMILY LAW, CHILD SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM FATHER’S CARE, EVEN THOUGH CHILD HAS BEEN RETURNED, APPEAL NOT MOOT BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA OF REMOVAL)