Matter of Zioniah Moziah M.
2009 NY Slip Op 06023 [64 AD3d 781]
July 28, 2009
Appellate Division, Second Department
As corrected through Wednesday, September 2, 2009


In the Matter of Zioniah Moziah M., an Infant. New Alternativesfor Children, Inc., Respondent; Kwame M., Appellant, et al., Respondent. (Appeal No. 1.) In theMatter of Queen-Adisa M., an Infant. New Alternatives for Children, Inc., Respondent; KwameM., Appellant, et al., Respondent. (Appeal No. 2.) In the Matter of Chenaza-Jendaye M., anInfant. New Alternatives for Children, Inc., Respondent; Kwame M., Appellant, et al.,Respondent. (Appeal No. 3.)

[*1]Austin Idehen, Jamaica, N.Y., for appellant.

Law Offices of James M. Abramson, PLLC, New York, N.Y. (Dawn M. Orsatti of counsel),for petitioner-respondent.

Steven Banks, New York, N.Y. (Tamara A. Steckler and Diane Pazar of counsel), attorneyfor the children.

In three related proceedings pursuant to Social Services Law § 384-b to terminateparental rights on the ground of severe abuse, the father appeals, as limited by his brief, from somuch of three orders of fact-finding and disposition (one as to each child) of the Family Court,Queens County (Richroath, J.), all dated July 9, 2008, as, after a dispositional hearing,terminated his parental rights and transferred custody and guardianship of the children to thepetitioner and the Commissioner of Social [*2]Services of theCity of New York for the purpose of adoption.

Ordered that the orders of fact-finding and disposition are affirmed insofar as appealed from,without costs or disbursements.

Termination of the father's parental rights is in the children's best interest. It will allow thechildren to be adopted by their maternal great aunt, with whom they have lived for most of theirlives and with whom they maintain a positive relationship. Although the father has compliedwith the petitioner's requirements and has shown some improvement in his parenting skills, asuspended judgment is not in the children's best interest (see Matter of Kaseem J., 52 AD3d 1321 [2008]). Fisher, J.P.,Miller, Angiolillo and Hall, JJ., concur.


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