Custody case for Bella Seachrist found father's Oakmont home suitable - TribLIVE

Bella Seachrist was a month shy of her first birthday when she was taken to live with her father and his longtime partner.

In June 2017, an Allegheny County Common Pleas judge found the Oakmont home where Jose Salazar-Ortiz Sr. and Laura Ramriez lived to be proper and suitable for a child, according to court records. Ramriez is not the child’s mother.

Bella was 3 years old when she died on June 9. Police say Salazar-Ortiz, Ramriez and her sister, Alexis Herrera, subjected the girl to abuse that resembled physical and psychological torture. A criminal complaint filed against them alleges evidence of malnourishment and extreme physical and sexual abuse.

The three face charges, including homicide, in connection with her death. They await court hearings in Allegheny County Jail without bail.

Bella’s death sparked outrage among the community including family and friends. They are calling for changes to existing laws to ensure children who are placed in homes by youth service entities are monitored until their 18th birthday. That may not happen now, depending on a court’s ruling.

“If we are able to find a safe and permanent home for a child, wherever it may be, it’s considered a success,” said Jacki Hoover, Deputy Director of Allegheny County’s Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF).

Hoover did not specifically address Bella’s custody case. She also could not confirm or deny CYF involvement in any cases.

She said generally a home being considered as a permanent place for a child would be visited by a CYF caseworker to make sure it was safe, with essentials like food and a place for the child to sleep. A criminal background check would be done for everyone living in the house over the age of 18.

Hoover said finding a permanent home for a child, rather than a temporary fostering situation, is one of the agency’s top goals.

Of the estimated 1,500 children within the CYF system, Hoover said more than 900 are placed in kinship care — which involves family members or close friends who can provide care until the parent is ready to resume care.

According to documents from the custody case between Salazar-Ortiz and Bella’s mother, Nicole Seachrist, CYF filed a petition with the Court of Common Pleas in January 2017 alleging that Bella — who was living with Seachrist at the time — was living without proper care.

Two weeks later, a judge allowed Bella to remain with Nicole Seachrist, with the stipulation that the mother comply with all court recommendations, including submitting to random drug tests and keeping the baby up to date with medical appointments.

But Bella was removed from her mother’s care and placed in foster care that May when the court found Seachrist had “made minimal progress” toward complying with stipulations, according to a court document in the custody case.

Salazar-Ortiz was then given permission for supervised visits in June 2017. Court records said he visited Bella three times while she lived with foster parents before CYF determined his house in Oakmont was suitable for a child to live in.

On July 9, 2017, court records show Bella was taken to live with Salazar-Ortiz and Ramriez.

On Aug. 30 that same year, Salazar-Ortiz was granted sole legal custody.

The judge in the custody case said Nicole Seachrist would need to petition the court in order to be granted three supervised visits per week. Court records said she never petitioned the court for those visits.

Hoover said that continued CYF involvement in a custody case is determined by the court.

When a judge grants custody and closes the case, Hoover said, CYF “is no longer active with the family and would not conduct any further visits.”

Curtis Corson Jr., the attorney who represented Salazar-Ortiz in the custody case, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Nicole Seachrist could not be reached for comment.

Dillon Carr is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Dillon at 412-871-2325, dcarr@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Categories: Local | Allegheny | Plum Advance Leader | Top Stories | Valley News Dispatch

Search

Custody case for Bella Seachrist found father's Oakmont home suitable - TribLIVE

0 Response to "Custody case for Bella Seachrist found father's Oakmont home suitable - TribLIVE"

Post a Comment