Court keeps 1-year-old in foster placement, orders family-team meeting and paternity follow-up

Lenawee County Probate & Juvenile Court held a review hearing in file 24097 concerning a 1-year-old identified in court as Kenzie (case shorthand KW), where the presiding judge admitted the court report and directed a family-team meeting to set details for expanded parenting time and for follow-up on paternity and Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) inquiries.

The guardian ad litem, Nicole Underwood, reported that the child "is in the least restrictive environment and continues to thrive there," and recommended continued placement with the current foster family. Underwood said the child is meeting developmental milestones and is well adjusted at the placement.

Foster-care worker Macy Moore of Catholic Charities testified that the child is "very happy," nearing walking, enjoys books and interactions with other children in the household, and that parenting-time with the mother, Christina Lemley, has been "going really well." Moore told the court that father Matthew Wright has had "very minimal" compliance with his case service plan and "has not participated in parenting time at all." Moore also said the mother has completed components of her program at Odyssey House and moved into transitional housing.

On parenting time, the court learned that current visits occur once a week for two hours. Moore said she is willing to begin unsupervised parenting time at the mother's current residence immediately and recommended convening a family-team meeting to work out the logistics, including transportation, frequency and whether overnight visits should be explored. Attorneys and parties discussed meeting halfway to reduce a four-hour round trip that would otherwise be required for visits between Saginaw (mother's location) and Ann Arbor or Hillsdale.

The hearing also addressed a paternity issue raised by the mother: she disclosed in December that Matthew Wright might not be the child's biological father and named a possible third individual. Christina Lemley and Matthew Wright previously signed an acknowledgment of parentage (AOP) and the child is listed on the birth certificate. The guardian ad litem and the mother differed on whether the matter should be pursued; Underwood supported exploring paternity and the judge directed the worker to "explore the issue of paternity" in the next review period, including locating the named potential biological father and offering DNA testing as an initial step.

The court ordered that the ICWA-related inquiries and any correspondence received (including the Bureau of Indian Affairs response) be filed and made available; the transcript reflects that an ICWA search had been run but the court asked for copies of what was actually sent to tribes and any responses. The judge repeated that the child's current placement is the "least restrictive" and appropriate for now and said returning the child to either parent at this time would present risk concerns tied to housing stability, sobriety and employment.

Formal orders issued at the hearing included admitting the court report and attachments into evidence; directing Macy Moore to organize a family-team meeting that include the foster parents, the mother and counsel; allowing unsupervised parenting time to begin with details to be finalized at the family-team meeting; declining to suspend father Matthew Wright's parenting time at this time but directing that any reintroduction be handled through Moore; and requiring follow-up on paternity and ICWA inquiry documentation. The court set the next review and permanency planning hearing for April 15 at 1:30 p.m.

The court emphasized that reunification with the mother remains a documented goal but that the mother must demonstrate continued sobriety, stable housing and employment to expand parenting time substantially. The judge instructed that transportation burdens and the needs of the foster placement be considered in planning any increase in visits.

Developments to watch before the next hearing include the family-team meeting to set the scope of unsupervised visits, receipt by the court of the ICWA inquiry materials, any DNA testing arrangements or results if parties agree, and updates to the mother's case service plan and housing status.