Judge upholds foster care review board; keeps 7-month-old in current placement, sets 90-day review

Lenawee County Probate & Juvenile Court — A judge on Wednesday upheld the Foster Care Review Board’s recommendation to keep a 7-month-old child in her current placement and declined a late request to move the child to a relative in Lincoln Park, saying stability and proximity to ongoing services outweighed the relative’s request.

The decision preserves the child’s current placement and the court kept reunification with the mother, Ashley Casey, as the case goal. The judge set a 90-day review hearing for Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. and said a written order explaining the court’s reasoning would be mailed to the parties.

The court’s decision followed testimony from Heather Barnett, who identified herself as the child’s sister‑in‑law and said she has been visiting the child since July and is prepared to provide a permanent home. Barnett testified she lives in Lincoln Park, Michigan, about an hour and 15 minutes from Lenawee County; that she and her husband have five children at home (oldest 17, youngest 5); and that she is a registered nurse working on a progressive care unit. Barnett said she had confirmed that Ivy Rehab — which provides the child’s current therapeutic services — had…