In re Lakeesha R.
Opinion of the Court
—Order unanimously affirmed without costs. Memorandum: Respondent appeals from an order of disposition adjudging Lakeesha R., his 14-year-old daughter, to be an abused child and, by reason of that abuse, adjudging his other three daughters to be neglected children. There is no merit to his contention that petitioner failed to corroborate Lakeesha’s out-of-court statements. Lakeesha’s mother testified that she told investigators that she saw respondent lying naked in bed with Lakeesha and that Lakeesha was wearing only a T-shirt pulled above her breasts. That testimony and the testimony of a validation expert corroborate the child’s out-of-court statements (see, Matter of Nicole V., 71 NY2d 112; Matter of Chendo O., 193 AD2d 1083; Matter of Skye B., 185 AD2d 880).
Petitioner sustained its burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that respondent sexually abused Lakeesha. The fact that Lakeesha recanted her initial out-of-court statements does not render those statements incredible as a matter of law (see, Matter of N. & G. Children, 176 AD2d 504). Family
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.