A court-ordered welfare check in Portsmouth’s Wayne Hills neighborhood ended with Children’s Services taking emergency custody of a child after authorities were forced to enter an apartment when the mother refused to answer the door.
Portsmouth police were called to assist Children’s Services workers who had obtained a court order signed by Scioto County Juvenile Court Judge R. Bennett.
The order directed CPS to enter the residence, inspect the living conditions, and check on the welfare of a child due to what court records described as exigent circumstances.
🚔 COURT ORDER IN HAND, NO ONE ANSWERS
Police and CPS workers went to the Kendall Avenue apartment and repeatedly knocked on the door.
According to the report, a neighbor told authorities the mother was inside but was not answering.
The neighbor also reported seeing the child leave earlier with another woman.
After repeated attempts to make contact failed, a Portsmouth Metropolitan Housing Authority representative arrived with a key and unlocked the door.
At that point, the mother came to the door and questioned why authorities were there.
CPS informed her they were acting under a court order signed by a juvenile court judge.
🛒 CHILD FOUND AT ALDI
The mother told authorities she had allowed another woman to take the child to the store.
According to the report, she initially refused to provide the woman’s last name and claimed she could not contact her because the woman’s phone was dead.
Police were eventually able to locate the woman and the child at Aldi.
With the mother’s written permission, a CPS worker retrieved the child and returned him to the apartment.
⚖️ JUDGE HAD ALREADY GRANTED EMERGENCY CUSTODY
Once the child returned to the residence, CPS informed the mother that Judge Bennett had already granted emergency custody of the child to Children’s Services.
According to the report, the mother initially refused to hand the child over.
After additional discussion, she eventually complied with the court order and surrendered custody.
💔 EMOTIONAL MOMENT
During the encounter, the mother reportedly asked CPS workers, “Do you want me to kill myself?”
After the child left with Children’s Services, an officer spoke with her privately.
According to the report, she denied being suicidal and said she did not intend to harm herself.
Police advised her to seek help if she needed assistance coping with the situation.
👶 CHILD REMOVED WITHOUT FORCE
Despite the emotional circumstances, authorities reported there was no use of force and no physical confrontation during the custody transfer.
The child was released to Children’s Services pursuant to the juvenile court order.
🏛️ WHAT EMERGENCY CUSTODY MEANS
Emergency custody orders are issued by juvenile courts when a judge determines there is sufficient concern about a child’s safety or welfare to justify immediate intervention before a full hearing can be held.
The order does not determine permanent custody.
Instead, it allows Children’s Services to temporarily take custody while the court reviews the circumstances and hears evidence from all parties involved.
Future hearings will determine what happens next in the case.
