Care and Protection of Peony. ( 2023 )

NOTICE: Summary decisions issued by the Appeals Court pursuant to M.A.C. Rule
23.0, as appearing in 97 Mass. App. Ct. 1017 (2020) (formerly known as rule 1:28,
as amended by 73 Mass. App. Ct. 1001 [2009]), are primarily directed to the parties
and, therefore, may not fully address the facts of the case or the panel's
decisional rationale. Moreover, such decisions are not circulated to the entire
court and, therefore, represent only the views of the panel that decided the case.
A summary decision pursuant to rule 23.0 or rule 1:28 issued after February 25,
2008, may be cited for its persuasive value but, because of the limitations noted
above, not as binding precedent. See Chace v. Curran, 71 Mass. App. Ct. 258, 260
n.4 (2008).
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
APPEALS COURT
22-P-1180
CARE AND PROTECTION OF PEONY. 1
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER PURSUANT TO RULE 23.0
Pursuant to a petition filed by the Department of Children
and Families (department) under G. L. c. 119, § 24, a judge of
the Juvenile Court adjudicated the mother currently unfit to
parent the child, Peony, and granted permanent custody to the
father. The mother's parental rights were not terminated. The
judge ordered supervised visits with the mother and the child's
older siblings every other week. The mother appeals, arguing
that (i) the judge erred and violated her due process rights by
limiting her access to the department's file; (ii) several of
the judge's findings of fact and conclusions of law were clearly
erroneous; and (iii) there was insufficient evidence of harm to
the child from the mother's behavior to justify the custody
order. We affirm.
1 A pseudonym.
We summarize the facts as found by the judge, supplemented
by undisputed evidence from the record and reserving some facts
for our discussion. Peony was born in June 2017; 2 the mother and
father were not married and are no longer in a relationship, but
both have been involved in Peony's care. The judge found that
the mother had "a very difficult history of trauma and sexual
abuse in her own life as a child." The department began working
with the mother in December of 2014, before Peony was born, when
it investigated reports of neglect of the mother's two older
children. 3 The investigation revealed that the mother and
maternal grandmother were sharing adult matters with the older
children and that the mother's mental health raised concerns.
By October 2016, however, the department had closed the case
because the mother was gainfully employed and demonstrated an
ability to support the older children "financially, emotionally,
and physically."
2 In addition to Peony, the mother has two children, born in 2008
and 2009, by another father. The portion of the care and
protection petition pertaining to the older children was
dismissed; the judge found that there was "no evidence that the
mother obsessively question[ed] or physically examine[d] the
older children in her care," and "she appear[ed] to meet their
basic needs." The father of the older children did not
participate in these proceedings. Unless otherwise specified,
references herein to "the father" refer to the father of Peony.
3 The department's involvement began when the mother reported
that she suspected her stepfather of sexually abusing her son
(one of the two older children); the department investigated the
report but found it unsupported.
2
In December of 2017, the department received a report
pursuant to G. L. c. 119, § 51A (51A report), from the police
alleging neglect of all three of the children following a
physical altercation. The altercation involved the mother,
Peony's father, and the paternal grandmother, and resulted in
the mother's arrest for domestic assault and battery. A
subsequent care and protection action was dismissed on June 28,
2018. Thereafter, the parents shared custody; the father had
visits with Peony every other weekend overnight and every other
weekday after work.
Over the course of several months in the spring and summer
of 2019, the mother reported concerns that the father had been
inappropriately touching Peony. 4 Visits with the father were
suspended temporarily by a judge of the Probate and Family
Court. In April, Peony was examined by her pediatrician who did
not observe any evidence of sexual abuse; the department did not
support the allegation. The probate judge ordered visitation
with the father to resume in the late spring of 2019. After the
4 Specifically, the mother reported that Peony told her that the
father had "licked her 'pee pee,'" Peony exhibited some
sexualized behavior, the father exhibited "suspicious" behavior
while changing Peony's diaper, and that Peony had developed a
fear of trains and when asked, replied "daddy" and "pee pee."
In addition, the mother reported that after a visit to the
father, Peony's vagina looked "different." The judge did "not
credit [the m]other's testimony that [Peony] made a consistent
disclosure of sexual abuse by [the f]ather."
3
mother refused to allow Peony to visit with the father, the
probate judge found the mother in contempt, and she was ordered
to comply with the visitation schedule.
Over the following four days, on seven occasions the mother
requested police to do a well-being check of Peony while she was
in the father's care. On July 8, 2019, Peony returned to the
mother following an extended visit with the father, and the
mother noted during a diaper change that Peony's vagina appeared
"different." The mother brought Peony to Community Health
Programs (CHP), where a pediatrician examined her and did not
note any concerns. The mother testified that, when they
returned home, she undressed Peony and observed ten to twelve
circles with dots and scratches on Peony's back, leading the
mother to theorize that Peony was injected with something. The
judge specifically declined to credit the mother's testimony
about this. The mother brought Peony to a hospital emergency
room where ten or so faint circular marks were observed on
Peony's back; there, the mother also repeated her concerns about
Peony's "private parts." The doctor did not observe anything
notable, but informed the mother that she should make an
appointment with a specialist in sexual abuse at a nearby
hospital if she wanted further medical assessment.
The reports that the father sexually abused Peony
ultimately were screened out by the department after an
4
investigation and the district attorney's office did not pursue
charges. The events of July 8 and July 9, 2019 resulted in
removal of all three of the children from the mother on an
emergency basis. This care and protection petition was filed on
July 11, 2019, due to the department’s concerns about the
mother's "mental health, her growing preoccupation with the
allegations of sexual abuse, and her conduct of continually
subjecting [Peony] to invasive and unnecessary examination."
After a hearing, the judge awarded temporary custody of Peony to
the father and ordered supervised visitation with the mother. 5
During July through October 2019, the mother continued to
make accusations against the father, calling the police on
multiple occasions to (i) inquire about a case against the
father, and (ii) request that they make well child checks; she
also called the FBI to share her concerns regarding Peony's
sudden fear of trains. She also contacted the "Steve Wilkos
Show" in an effort to have the father take a lie detector test.
In August 2019, the father obtained a harassment prevention
order against the mother. In the following months, although the
mother began therapy, she continued to examine Peony's genitals
during visits and to report concerns to the social worker and to
excessively contact the police.
5 The two older children were returned to the mother after the
hearing.
5
The department's investigation concluded that the
allegations of sexual abuse by the father were unsupported and
allegations of neglect by the mother were supported. The judge
found that the mother "has harmed [Peony] by continually
questioning her about sexual abuse and obsessively checking her
genitalia for signs of abuse." The judge did not credit the
mother's testimony that Peony made statements indicating the
father sexually abused her, as the statements and conduct "have
been assessed by law enforcement and medical professionals and
determined not to warrant further action against" the father.
After a multiday trial, and based on the foregoing findings
of fact, among others, the judge found that the mother was
currently unfit to assume parental responsibility of Peony and
that Peony's best interests would be served by granting the
father permanent custody. The judge found that the mother
"struggles with mental health issues, and . . . perseverates on
accusing . . . [the f]ather of sexually abusing [Peony] when
there is no credible evidence." The judge noted that the mother
participated in therapy for one year from December 2019 to
January 2021 but, "never changed her belief that [Peony] was
sexually abused, has not shown the ability to move on or forward
from these allegations, and she has not gained any insight into
how her behavior affects and harms [Peony]." Further, "at the
time of trial, [the m]other was not engaged in any services. In
6
the absence of any treatment or help, the Court [was] convinced
that [the m]other [would] continue to obsessively question
[Peony], and check the child's body and genitalia, for what she
believes will be signs of sexual abuse." As a result, the judge
concluded that supervised visits should continue. The judge
found that the mother "has no insight whatsoever that what she
has done, and what she is still doing, is harmful to her
daughter."
Discussion. 1. Discovery. During the discovery phase,
counsel for the mother was allowed to withdraw due to other
commitments. Thereafter, the mother chose to represent herself
and rejected the judge’s offer to assist her in finding counsel.
The judge conducted a colloquy to ensure that the mother
understood the disadvantages of proceeding pro se and that her
decision was informed and knowing.
Thereafter discussion turned to providing discovery to the
mother. Both counsel for the department and counsel for the
child expressed concerns about sensitive matters being in
circulation and sought a protective order requiring the mother
to review the documents in the Juvenile Court Clerk's office or
an order compelling the return of the documents at the end of
the litigation. The mother said she understood and shared the
concerns about "things" being on social media, and she told the
7
judge she would be able to go to the Clerk's office to view the
documents. The judge offered to allow further access if needed.
At a later hearing, after the judge noted the "great
disadvantage" of representing herself, the mother agreed to
allow the judge to appoint standby counsel. At yet another
hearing, the mother mentioned that other commitments had made it
difficult for her to review the documents but did not ask the
judge to change the way that discovery had been made available
to her.
On appeal, the mother's principal argument is that due
process and fundamental fairness compel the conclusion that
discovery disclosures were inadequate. However, the mother
neither objected to the procedure nor made any related motions
prior to or during trial. The issue is waived. See McLaughlin
v. American States Ins. Co., 90 Mass. App. Ct. 22, 33 n.17
(2016). "An issue not raised or argued below may not be argued
for the first time on appeal" (citation omitted). Carey v. New
England Organ Bank, 446 Mass. 270, 285 (2006). See Adoption of
Donald, 52 Mass. App. Ct. 901, 901 (2001) ("As a general
practice we do not consider issues, particularly constitutional
ones, raised for the first time in this court" [citation
8
omitted]). Here, the judge gave the mother ample opportunity to
object to the discovery plan, but the mother never did. 6
2. Judge's findings. "In care and protection cases, the
judge's subsidiary findings must be proved by a preponderance of
the evidence and will only be disturbed if clearly erroneous."
Care & Protection of Vick, 89 Mass. App. Ct. 704, 706 (2016).
"Parental unfitness is determined by considering a parent's
character, temperament, conduct, and capacity to provide for the
child in the same context with the child's particular needs,
affections, and age." Id. The judge's findings must prove
"clearly and convincingly that the [parent is] currently unfit
to provide for the welfare and best interests of [the child]."
Id., quoting Adoption of Quentin, 424 Mass. 882, 886 (1997).
Here, the mother argues that some of the judge's findings are
clearly erroneous and, in their absence, the department failed
to meet its burden.
We are not persuaded. There was ample evidence of the
mother's current unfitness. The judge found that, without
credible evidence, the mother accused the father of sexually
abusing Peony and "has obsessively sought action from police,
6 We decline the mother's invitation to apply a substantial risk
of a miscarriage of justice to the discovery order. "That
standard is reserved for criminal cases . . . [and] [w]e have
never applied it to a care and protection case." Care &
Protection of Doretta, 101 Mass. App. Ct. 584, 592 n.6 (2022),
further appellate review denied, 491 Mass. 1103 (2023).
9
the DA and medical treatment providers to provide her with
validation of her concerns," and has harmed Peony by repeatedly
"questioning her about sexual abuse and checking her genitalia
for signs of abuse." Thus even if we were to conclude that the
evidence had been insufficient to support the finding,
challenged by the mother, that she inflicted the marks on
Peony's back, there was "overwhelming other evidence supporting
the judge's ultimate findings and conclusions," and any error
was harmless. Adoption of Donald, 49 Mass. App. Ct. 908, 910
(2000). 7
As to that finding, the mother contends that it is based
solely on comments from the physician who examined Peony on July
9, 2019 that "there is a possibility that the mother, with her
extreme preoccupation and with her desire to prevent the child
from being with the father, may be causing the child to undergo
multiple unnecessary exams . . . and may even be capable of
fabricating evidence." Although there was no direct evidence of
how Peony sustained the marks on her back, circumstantial
evidence is sufficient to meet the department's burden in child
7 The mother also argues that the judge erred in concluding that
between April 7, 2014 and June 7, 2021, the mother contacted
police 106 times; she contends a more accurate number is fifty
calls related to Peony over a twenty-six month period between
April 2019 and June 2021. The judge described the mother's
contacts with police as both excessive and obsessive, and that
finding is supported by the record. There was no error.
10
custody cases. See Adoption of Keefe, 49 Mass. App. Ct. 818,
824-825 (2000). "If conflicting inferences are both reasonable
and possible, it is for the trier of fact to determine which is
true." Id. at 825. Here, the mother's frustration that the
pediatrician's July 8, 2019 examination found no evidence of
sexual abuse, the examining physician's failure to observe marks
on Peony's back on that date, the mother's repeated allegations
against the father despite the allegations being unsupported by
medical providers, the department, or law enforcement, and the
timing of the accusations after the mother had regained custody
of Peony for many hours, permit the inference that the mother
inflicted the marks. 8
3. Sufficiency of the evidence. The mother challenges the
judge's conclusion that "[the m]other's unaddressed mental
health issues pose a risk of serious abuse or neglect to
[Peony]." The mother "acknowledged at trial[] certain mental
health difficulties over the course of this case, agreeing for
example, that she was 'having a hard time' mentally," called
police repeatedly, and that she "overreacted" to a scab she
found on Peony's head -- bringing it to the police and demanding
8 To the extent the grandmother so testified, the judge was not
required to credit the grandmother's testimony that the mother
was never alone with Peony such that the mother had no
opportunity to inflict the marks. See Care & Protection of
Three Minors, 392 Mass. 704, 711 (1984) (judge "not obliged to
believe the mother's testimony or that of any other witness").
11
that it be tested to determine whether Peony had been burned.
At the time of trial, she was attending regular visits with
Peony and meeting with her social worker but was not engaged
with any mental health services. The mother contends that
because Peony remains a well-adjusted, happy child who is
cooperative with her visits with the mother, the mother's
conduct has not harmed her. However the father has had primary
custody since 2019, and the mother's visits have been
supervised. Furthermore, the judge was convinced that "[i]n the
absence of any treatment . . . [the mother would] continue to
obsessively question [Peony], and check the child's body and
genitalia, for what she believes will be signs of sexual abuse"
and may even harm Peony "to provide some evidence of abuse."
While mother may initially have acted reasonably in ensuring
that the proper authorities investigated her concerns, her
refusal to accept the results of those investigations, coupled
with repeated unsupported accusations, inquiries, and
examinations of Peony support the judge's conclusion. On this
record, we cannot say the judge's conclusion was clearly
erroneous or amounted to an error of law. Moreover, to the
extent that the mother contends that the judge relied on the
fact that the mother has mental health difficulties, alone, the
judge's findings "explicitly recognized that mental illness per
se is not grounds" to make custody decisions. Adoption of
12
Eduardo, 57 Mass. App. Ct. 278, 282 (2003). "We are satisfied
that the judge properly focused on the adverse effects that
parental behavior had on this parent's ability to provide for
[Peony's] welfare and best interests, and not on the mother's
mental illness." Id. The judge's findings clearly and
specifically show the connection between the mother's mental
health difficulties and harm or potential harm to Peony.
Judgment affirmed.
By the Court (Meade,
Hershfang & D'Angelo, JJ. 9),
Clerk
Entered: October 24, 2023.
9 The panelists are listed in order of seniority.
13