THE RECORD DID NOT SUPPORT THE FINDING THAT FATHER, DUE TO UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS, NEGLECTED ONE CHILD AND DERIVATIVELY NEGLECTED THE OTHER CHILDREN; THE CRITERIA FOR A NEGLECT FINDING IN THIS CONTEXT ARE LAID OUT IN DETAIL (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Family Court, determined the finding that father, due to untreated mental illness, neglected one child, Fyre, and derivatively neglected the other children was not supported by the record:
… [T]he record fails to support a finding of derivative neglect as to the subject children based on the purported neglect of Fyre. In that regard, the petitioner failed to establish that the father suffered from an untreated mental illness that placed Fyre at imminent risk of harm … . Inasmuch as the evidence failed to support a finding that Fyre was endangered by the father’s untreated mental illness, it failed to support a finding of derivative neglect as to the subject children (see Family Ct Act § 1046[a][i] …). Matter of Sonja R. (Victor R.), 2023 NY Slip Op 02787, Second Dept 5-24-23
Practice Point: Here the record did not support the finding that father, based upon his allegedly untreated mental illness, neglected one child and derivatively neglected the other children. Although the facts are not described, the legal criteria for neglect in this context are explained in detail.