Neglect Finding Can Be Based Upon a Single Incident of Excessive Corporal Punishment

The Second Department noted that a finding of neglect can be based upon a single incident of excessive corporal punishment:

Neglect may be established by even a single incident of excessive corporal punishment … . The Family Court’s assessment of the credibility of witnesses is entitled to considerable deference … .Here, contrary to the appellant’s contention, the Family Court’s finding of neglect of the child Shervon M., based on excessive corporal punishment, was supported by a preponderance of the evidence (see Family Ct Act § 1012[f][i][B]…). The Family Court’s finding that the appellant engaged in excessive corporal punishment when he struck the child Shervon M. several times with a belt, causing raised red marks on her arm and legs, is supported by the evidence presented at the fact-finding hearing. Shervon’s out-of-court statements that the appellant struck her with a belt were sufficiently corroborated by the caseworker’s observations of Shervon’s injuries and the appellant’s admission to the caseworker that he had struck Shervon with a belt in the past (see Family Ct Act § 1046[a][vi]…).  Matter of Nurridin B, 2-14 NY Slip Op 02431, 2nd Dept 4-9-14