M.R.

BACKGROUND

This case concerns two dependent children of the court—E.P. (born 2019) and

D.E. (born 2021). As of October 2024, the children were placed with two prospective

adoptive parents (PAPs)—M.L. and B.H.

On October 4, 2024 the department received a referral alleging the PAPs

physically abused the children. The department spoke to E.P., who said M.L. hit him on

the arm with a blue plastic bat because he broke a gate. He also said the PAPs spanked

him for misbehavior, that M.L. hit him in the head with the same blue plastic bat on a

different occasion, and that M.L. had pulled his hair before. D.E. denied ever seeing E.P.

get hit but said he saw at least one of the PAPs pull E.P.’s hair because E.P. was not

listening. However, he otherwise denied any form of corporal punishment, saying the

PAPs only put the children on timeout.

M.L. initially denied ever using physical discipline, saying he used timeouts or

stern verbal redirection. He said at most he sometimes mimed hitting the children

without ever actually hitting them. However, when asked directly whether the PAPs

2 spanked, pulled hair, or smacked the children’s hands, M.L. said they had smacked

D.E.’s hand…