D.F. v. State Department of Human Resources

In June 1992, the Franklin County Department of Human Resources (DHR) filed a petition in juvenile court, alleging the dependency of M.D.A., a female, who was almost sixteen years old. DHR’s petition stated that the agency had received a report of alleged sexual abuse of the minor child by the stepfather.

The trial court placed temporary physical custody of the minor child with DHR. The mother, D.F., filed a petition on October 22, 1992, requesting that custody of the child be returned to her. Following an ore tenus proceeding, the trial court awarded legal custody of the minor child to DHR,…