Opinion
2014-03-19
In the Matter of ALEXIS S. (Anonymous). Westchester County Department of Social Services, respondent; Edward S. (Anonymous), appellant. (Proceeding No. 1) In the Matter of Mariah S. (Anonymous). Westchester County Department of Social Services, respondent; Edward S. (Anonymous), appellant. (Proceeding No. 2) In the Matter of Mekhai S. (Anonymous). Westchester County Department of Social Services, respondent; Edward S. (Anonymous), appellant. (Proceeding No. 3).
David Bliven, White Plains, N.Y. for appellant. Robert F. Meehan, County Attorney, White Plains, N.Y. (James Castro–Blanco and Thomas G. Gardiner of counsel), for respondent.
David Bliven, White Plains, N.Y. for appellant. Robert F. Meehan, County Attorney, White Plains, N.Y. (James Castro–Blanco and Thomas G. Gardiner of counsel), for respondent.
Janet Gandolfo, Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., attorney for the children.
In related child protective proceedings pursuant to Family Court Act article 10, the father appeals, as limited by his brief, from so much of an order of fact-finding of the Family Court, Westchester County (Malone, J.), entered January 28, 2013, as, after a fact-finding hearing, found that he abused and neglected the child Alexis S. and derivatively neglected the children Mariah S. and Mekhai S.
ORDERED that the order of fact-finding is affirmed insofar as appealed from, without costs or disbursements.
A child's prior out-of-court statements may provide the basis for a finding of abuse, “provided that these hearsay statements are corroborated, so as to ensure their reliability” (Matter of Jada K.E. [Richard D.E.], 96 A.D.3d 744, 744, 949 N.Y.S.2d 58 [internal quotation marks omitted]; seeFamily Ct. Act § 1046[a][vi]; Matter of Nicole V., 71 N.Y.2d 112, 123, 524 N.Y.S.2d 19, 518 N.E.2d 914;Matter of Nicole G. [Louis G.], 105 A.D.3d 956, 962 N.Y.S.2d 705;Matter of Anthony S. [Dawn N.], 98 A.D.3d 519, 520, 949 N.Y.S.2d 194). “Any other evidence tending to support the reliability of the previous statements ... shall be sufficient corroboration” (Family Ct. Act § 1046[a][vi] ). Validation testimony from an expert that the child's psychological and behavioral characteristics lead the expert to conclude that the child was sexually abused may supply the corroboration of the child's out-of-court statements necessary to make out a prima facie case of sexual abuse ( see Matter of Nicole V., 71 N.Y.2d at 121, 524 N.Y.S.2d 19, 518 N.E.2d 914;Matter of Linda K., 132 A.D.2d 149, 159–160, 521 N.Y.S.2d 705). However, as with any expert opinion, the validation testimony must meet a threshold of reliability ( see Matter of Iyonte G. [Charles J.R.], 82 A.D.3d 765, 767, 918 N.Y.S.2d 519;Matter of Nassau County Dept. of Social Servs. v. Denise S., 173 A.D.2d 830, 830–831, 571 N.Y.S.2d 58). “The Family Court has considerable discretion in deciding whether a child's out-of-court statements alleging incidents of abuse have been reliably corroborated” (Matter of Nicole G. [Louis G.], 105 A.D.3d at 956, 962 N.Y.S.2d 705;see Matter of Nicole V., 71 N.Y.2d at 119, 524 N.Y.S.2d 19, 518 N.E.2d 914;Matter of Jada K.E. [Richard D.E.], 96 A.D.3d at 744, 949 N.Y.S.2d 58;Matter of Tristan R., 63 A.D.3d 1075, 1077, 883 N.Y.S.2d 229). The Family Court's credibility findings must be accorded considerable deference on appeal ( see Matter of Nicole G. [Louis G.], 105 A.D.3d at 956, 962 N.Y.S.2d 705;Matter of Jada K.E. [Richard D.E.], 96 A.D.3d at 745, 949 N.Y.S.2d 58;Matter of Jeshaun R. [Ean R.], 85 A.D.3d 798, 925 N.Y.S.2d 533).
Contrary to the father's contention, the record supports the Family Court's determination that the testimony of the petitioner's child sexual abuse expert sufficiently corroborated Alexis S.'s out-of-court disclosures so as to establish a prima facie case of sexual abuse against the father ( see Matter of Nicole V., 71 N.Y.2d at 119, 524 N.Y.S.2d 19, 518 N.E.2d 914;Matter of Tristan R., 63 A.D.3d at 1077, 883 N.Y.S.2d 229;cf. Matter of Nicole G. [Louis G.], 105 A.D.3d at 957, 962 N.Y.S.2d 705). RIVERA, J.P., BALKIN, HINDS–RADIX and MALTESE, JJ., concur.