In the Matter of GC, FH# 2017-0047

Reversed - DCF did not have reasonable cause to support a finding of neglect against the Appellant where (1) the children were teenagers with disabilities, (2) the children’s mother and mother’s live-in boyfriend (Appellant) engaged in a one-time argument in front of the children, (3) the argument stemmed from a rare occurrence of the Appellant spending bill money on alcohol, (4) the children reported the incident at school, (5) there was no corroboration that the Appellant hit the mother, and (6) the Appellant previously had sexual abuse reports filed against him for one of the children but the Appellant had not been found guilty at trial, and DCF did not consider it in making the support decision being appealed.