Butler Co. custody in US court, Mom, denied visits, sues Children Services agency

This story is the closest to my story that I have seen in the paper.

However, my story involves numerous players from multi levels of the system.

HAMILTON - A mother who lost visitation with her 10-year-old daughter after Butler County Children Services got involved in her private custody case has taken her long-time battle with the agency to federal court.

Joetta Street, of Hamilton, filed a civil rights suit in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati against Butler County commissioners; her ex-husband's wife, Michelle Money-Richardson, who worked for Children Services; former agency director Jann Heffner; former deputy director Donna Saunders; former clinical director Kathy Hayes; current intake director Judy Stadler; and several other agency employees.

Street just last week was granted supervised visitation with her daughter.

A scathing county report last year concluded that Money-Richardson and other agency officials had misused their authority in taking Street's daughter so her ex-husband, Vincent Richardson, could have custody.

The girl was removed from Street's home a year ago after Money-Richardson accused Street of emotionally abusing the child.

Children Services officials intervened in Domestic Relations Court proceedings to have Street kept away from the child.

The lawsuit doesn't set a dollar amount but asks for compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorney fees and court costs.

Money-Richardson was forced to quit her $61,000-a-year job with Children Services last month after she was caught working as a college instructor while on county-paid sick leave for a stress-related illness.

Heffner was forced out of her $125,000-a-year job after the death of 3-year-old Marcus Fiesel in foster care. Saunders and Hayes left recently after their jobs were eliminated in a restructuring of the agency.

Original Article-

NKY.Com - Butler Co. custody in US court