In re Alizabeth L.-T.

Syllabus

Pursuant to statute (§ 46b-129 (g)), at a contested hearing on an order for temporary custody, ''credible hearsay evidence regarding statements of the child or youth made to a mandated reporter . . . may be offered by the parties and admitted by the court upon a finding that the statement is reliable and trustworthy and that admission of such statement is reasonably necessary.'' The respondent father appealed from the judgments of the trial court sus- taining the ex parte orders granting temporary custody of his three minor children to the petitioner, the Commissioner of Children and Families. Following the receipt of an anonymous report that the children were the victims of physical and sexual abuse and possible sexual exploitation, the petitioner filed neglect petitions on their behalf, as well as motions seeking ex parte orders of temporary custody. The trial court granted the ex parte orders of temporary custody and, after the children were removed from the family home, held a contested hearing on the motions. At that hearing, the petitioner offered testimony from Z, the children's adult sister-in-law, and B, a social worker for the Depart- ment of Children and Families. Z testified, inter alia, that she was a mandated reporter, and the court allowed her to testify, pursuant to § 46b-129 (g), as to certain discussions she had with the children in which they disclosed that they were physically and sexually abused by the respondent mother and her boyfriends. B also testified with respect to discussions she had with the children, in which they disclosed to her instances of abuse, and a forensic interview that she conducted with one of the children, A. The court also admitted certain exhibits, over the hearsay objections of the father's counsel, including a copy of B's affidavit, which had accompanied the petitioner's filings and contained the children's hearsay statements, photographs of cell phone screens- hots showing text messages between the children and Z, and