Opinion ID: 1941865
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: J.J.Z. and M.A.Z.

Text: On December 1, 1989, K.Z., a six month old infant, was admitted to Children's Hospital suffering from a fracture [sic] left humerus and multiple old bone injuries which are suggestive of non-accidental trauma. The Corporation Counsel filed petitions in the Superior Court alleging that K.Z. and the infant's siblings, J.J.Z., born December 25, 1986, and M.A.Z., born June 5, 1988, were neglected and citing as reasons therefor K.Z.'s injuries and their father's inability to discharge his parental responsibilities because of alcoholism. The three children were placed in shelter care in custody of the Department of Human Services pending trial. [1] At a pretrial hearing, a probation officer reported that skeletal examinations for J.J.Z. and M.A.Z. revealed no injuries or fractures. That same day, the court entered an order for conditional release of the children to the custody of their mother, M.M. The order precluded the father from having contact with the children when drinking and provided for his participation in an alcohol abuse treatment program. The mother was ordered to continue individual therapy, and both parents were ordered to refrain from physically disciplining the children. On the first scheduled trial date, the government sought to proceed only with the petition for K.Z. by way of a stipulation of neglect from the father. After some question about the substance of the stipulation, the court (Judge Peter Wolf) declined to accept it because the trial involving the child's mother would proceed on essentially the same proof. The government represented that it did not want to go forward with the cases for J.J.Z. and M.A.Z. in any event because it had no proof of any nexus between the father's drinking and any injury to these children, nor evidence that they were otherwise injured. Essentially, the government was of the view that the fact that K.Z. had been abused, standing alone, was insufficient to support an adjudication of neglect under D.C.Code § 16-2301(9)(E) in the absence of evidence that the other children were in imminent danger of being abused. The government also expressed the view that if K.Z. were found to be neglected, the family could benefit from monitoring or services provided pending the disposition in K.Z.'s case. After a trial before another judge, K.Z. was found to be neglected by both parents under D.C.Code § 16-2301(9)(A) (a child abused by his parent). [2] At the next hearing before Judge Wolf, the government renewed its motion to dismiss the petitions related to J.J.Z. and M.A.Z. for the reasons given at the prior hearing. The guardian ad litem (GAL) for the children opposed the motion and requested the court to allow him to proceed in lieu of the government. The GAL argued that the District of Columbia had a special duty to protect abused and neglected children and that the court, as parens patriae, had the inherent power to reject an arbitrary dismissal of a neglect petition. He urged the court to proceed to a hearing on the merits and to authorize the GAL to continue with the petitions if the District should fail to do so. In addition to the legal arguments in support of the motion, the GAL proffered as evidence that the facts known to the government at the time of the oral motion to dismiss which would support a finding of neglect included the following: (1) the finding that the parents of J.J.Z. and M.A.Z. abused their sibling, K.Z.; (2) the unexplained, severe head injuries sustained some seven years before by S.J.M., a half-sibling to the children, while in the mother's care; [3] (3) the mother's suicidal thoughts, which required mental health intervention, and her unwillingness to learn much needed parenting skills, according to the community workers; and (4) the mother's failure to disclose voluntarily that S.J.M. was her daughter and her inconsistent explanations for the injuries which caused S.J.M.'s condition. After submission of memoranda by the parties, the trial court granted the government's motion to dismiss the petitions without opinion. The GAL noted these appeals on behalf of J.J.Z. and M.A.Z.