In re A.H.

Citations

• 2025 Ohio 2708

Syllabus

PARENTAL TERMINATION — PERMANENT CUSTODY — BEST INTEREST — LEGALLY SECURE PLACEMENT — LEGAL CUSTODY: The juvenile court's judgment (1) granting permanent custody of the child to the child services agency was not supported by clear and convincing evidence, and (2) denying appellant-aunt's motion for legal custody was not supported by a preponderance of the evidence, where the evidence established that appellant-aunt could provide a secure placement without a grant of permanent custody based on an approved home study for placement, her prior experience as a foster parent, and her testimony establishing that she had strong protective instincts, and the juvenile court's findings that aunt minimized the child's mother's substance abuse was based on speculative testimony.