Opinion
2015-11-12
In the Matter of ZA'NIYA D. (Anonymous). Suffolk County Department of Social Services, respondent; Kenneth R. (Anonymous), appellant.
Heather A. Fig, Bayport, N.Y., for appellant. Dennis M. Brown, County Attorney, Central Islip, N.Y. (Danielle N. Guida of counsel), for respondent.
Heather A. Fig, Bayport, N.Y., for appellant. Dennis M. Brown, County Attorney, Central Islip, N.Y. (Danielle N. Guida of counsel), for respondent.
Jeanne R. Burton, Central Islip, N.Y., attorney for the child.
Appeal from an order of fact-finding and disposition of the Family Court, Suffolk County (Theresa Whelan, J.), dated August 21, 2014. The order, insofar as appealed from, after a fact-finding hearing, determined that the father neglected the subject child, Za'Niya D.
ORDERED that order of fact-finding and disposition is affirmed insofar as appealed from, without costs or disbursements.
A single incident of excessive corporal punishment is sufficient to sustain a finding of neglect ( see Matter of Yanni D. [Hope J.], 95 A.D.3d 1313, 944 N.Y.S.2d 923; Matter of James S. [Kathleen S.], 88 A.D.3d 1006, 931 N.Y.S.2d 524; Matter of Alexander J.S. [David S.], 72 A.D.3d 829, 899 N.Y.S.2d 281; Matter of Rachel H., 60 A.D.3d 1060, 876 N.Y.S.2d 463). Here, the Family Court's findings that the father neglected the subject child Za'Niya D. by subjecting her to excessive corporal punishment is supported by a preponderance of the evidence ( seeFamily Ct. Act § 1012[f][i][B]; Matter of Dylan G. [Victor M.], 119 A.D.3d 786, 989 N.Y.S.2d 321; Matter of Nurridin B. [Louis J.], 116 A.D.3d 770, 982 N.Y.S.2d 910; Matter of Yanni D. [Hope J.], 95 A.D.3d 1313, 944 N.Y.S.2d 923; Matter of James S. [Kathleen S.], 88 A.D.3d 1006, 931 N.Y.S.2d 524; Matter of Padmine M. [Sandra M.], 84 A.D.3d 806, 922 N.Y.S.2d 527). DILLON, J.P., SGROI, COHEN and LaSALLE, JJ., concur.