Petitioner (hereinafter the father) and respondent (hereinafter the mother) are the parents of a daughter born in 2005. In February 2007, the father, an elementary school teacher, was arrested and charged in a 49-count indictment with sexually molesting a number of boys in his class. In March 2007, the father signed a separation agreement which made no provision for custody or visitation of the child, who continued to reside with the mother. Thereafter, while the mother initially permitted the father to visit with the child, in July 2007 — when the child was 18 months old — she refused the father any further visitation. The father pleaded guilty to the entire indictment and was sentenced in January 2008 to an agreed-upon aggregate prison sentence of 12 years. On his appeal, this Court affirmed the conviction (People v Culver, 69 AD3d 976 [2010]).
The parties were divorced in August 2008 in a judgment
After four days of trial at which numerous witnesses testified, Family Court awarded the mother full custody and granted the father four visits per year with the child at the correctional facility where he is confined or such other facility provided it is within 150 miles of the mother’s residence. The court further ordered, among other things, that the child be accompanied by a responsible adult — other than the mother — with whom the child is familiar and who will cooperate with the mother and father in effectuating each visit, that the child and her escorts engage in counseling in preparation for and subsequent to each visit, and that the father have monitored telephone contact and written communication with the child. The mother was directed to bear the cost of said counseling and telephone calls.1 The mother now appeals.
“[T]he best interests of children generally lie with a meaningful relationship with both parents” (Tait v Tait, 44 AD3d 1142, 1143 [2007]) and “[visitation with a noncustodial parent is presumed to be in a child’s best interests even when the parent is incarcerated” (Matter of Chambers v Renaud, 72 AD3d 1433, 1434 [2010]; see Matter of Garraway v Laforet, 68 AD3d 1192, 1193 [2009]). “A court should not base a denial of visitation on the strong opposition of the custodial parent” (Matter of Buffin v Mosley, 263 AD2d 962, 962 [1999]); “[substantial proof that such visitation would be harmful to the child will, however, justify the denial of an application for visitation” (Matter of Davis v Davis, 232 AD2d 773, 773 [1996]). The totality of the circumstances must be considered in determining such an application (see Matter of Garraway v Laforet, 68 AD3d at 1194), including the distance the child would have to travel in order to effectuate visitation (see id.). “The propriety of visitation is left to the sound discretion of Family Court and its findings, guided by the best interests of the child, will not be disturbed unless they lack a sound basis in the record” (Matter of Moore v Schill, 44 AD3d 1123, 1123 [2007] [citations omitted]).
Here, the mother opposes visitation asserting, among other
The key objective evidence presented came in the form of conflicting opinions of experts, each of whom met with the mother and the child. Family Court found “persuasive and reasoned” the report and testimony of Jerold Grodin, a licensed psychologist with significant experience in the field of child psychology, who testified for the father. Grodin opined that visitation with the father, even at his correctional facility, would be “healthful and safe” and in the child’s best interests because the child seems to be comfortable in new situations and is quite inquisitive, and also because of the inherent need for any child to maintain contact with both parents. His interaction with the child also revealed a bond between the child and father and a desire on the part of the child to contact the father. Grodin discussed how children who are separated from their parents, without a clear understanding, tend to develop feelings of abandonment. Grodin further concluded that visitation would not be traumatic for the child and that it could be facilitated by therapeutic counseling. Steven Wood, a licensed mental health counselor and clinical specialist with significant experience in child and adolescent therapy testified for the mother and disagreed. Specifically, Wood asserted that because the child is beginning to reach the age at which she will begin forming substantive memories, visiting her father in prison may damage
While the child has not seen her father since she was 18 months old,2 there is clearly an established relationship between the child and the father as evidenced by the child’s own behavior. Indeed, it cannot be said that the father is “essentially a stranger to the child” (Matter of Cole v Comfort, 63 AD3d 1234, 1236 [2009], lv denied 13 NY3d 706 [2009]). That the child is young and will likely need to travel a considerable distance between her residence and the father’s prison does not necessarily preclude visitation (see Matter of Moore v Schill, 44 AD3d at 1123). Importantly, Family Court identified several trustworthy people known to the mother and the child, as opposed to “virtual strangers,” who are willing to accept this responsibility (Matter of Goldsmith v Goldsmith, 68 AD3d 1209, 1210 [2009]; see Matter of Conklin v Hernandez, 41 AD3d 908, 911 [2007]), thereby making visitation “viable and workable” (Matter of Albanese v Albanese, 44 AD3d 1117, 1120 [2007]), and the father will never be alone with the child. While the father’s prison term is long and the offenses for which he is incarcerated are undeniably disturbing — and visitation will likely not be easy — we cannot say that Family Court’s discretionary conclusion is unsound.
We do, however, agree with the mother’s contention that she should not be required to pay for the telephone calls and the counseling for the child and her escorts before and after the visits. While the record on appeal is barren of any evidence of the parties’ financial circumstances or of the mother’s financial ability to pay for these potentially costly and long-term expenses, at the time that the mother applied for the stay of Family Court’s order, she reported — in an affidavit to this Court — that she was a single mother with a very modest income as a church pastor, received no child support, relied on her mother for
Malone Jr. and Stein, JJ., concur.
1.
A stay of Family Court’s order pending this appeal was issued by this Court and has been in effect since October 2, 2009.
2.
Amost a year and a half of this period of time is attributable to this Court’s stay of Family Court’s order.
3.
If the mother has since obtained — or in the future acquires — health insurance covering counseling expenses for the child, the mother must utilize that coverage to its fullest extent, with the father remaining responsible for any non-covered expenses.