In re Samantha O.

The instant cases arose when the Department of Social Services of the City of New York, following its usual procedure, brought two support petitions against the natural parents of these two small children, since the children were on public assistance and were being cared for by an unrelated person.

The natural parents then brought custody applications, naming the present custodians of the children (unrelated persons) and the Department of Social Services of the City of New York as respondents, “ alleging said children had been wrongfully detained and their return has been refused as has…