People v. Louise D.

The court has before it a proceeding pursuant to section 158 of the Family Court Act to hold the subject children as material witnesses in protective custody under its auspices for their appearance before a grand jury of Bronx County empanelled to consider evidence of a homicide allegedly committed by their mother in their presence. It is alleged by the petitioning District Attorney that the children have been secreted by their father and other relatives and are in physical danger.

Section 158 of the Family Court Act is one of the most under-cited and under-annotated found therein. Its text…