In re David R.
The New York City Department of Social Services petitioned for approval to transfer the custody of David R. under a 'Voluntary Placement Agreement' signed by the maternal grandmother. The child was under two months old and hospitalized at the time. The court evaluated the validity of the agreement, questioning if the maternal grandmother had the right or understanding to place the child, particularly due to a language barrier as she only spoke Spanish and no interpreter was provided during the signing. The court found no binding contract existed, citing the grandmother's lack of authority to place the child, the language problem, and deliberate misrepresentation by the department. Furthermore, the court found that the placement was not in the child's best interests, as the department failed to contact the parents before accepting placement. Consequently, the petition was dismissed, and the child was to be returned to the parents.