In re Christa H.

—Crew III, J.

Appeal from an order of the Family Court of Tompkins County (Barrett, J.), entered *587September 15, 1998, which granted petitioner’s application, in a proceeding pursuant to Family Court Act article 10, to adjudicate respondent’s children to be abused and/or neglected.

Respondent is the stepfather of Christa H. (born in 1987) and the biological father of two children, William J. (born in 1996) and Louis J. (born in 1992). In January 1998, petitioner commenced this proceeding alleging, inter alia, that respondent had sexually abused Christa and derivatively neglected his sons.…