The applicant children's aid society sought a finding that a five-year-old child was in need of protection due to a risk of physical harm from the father.
The child made consistent disclosures to police and social workers that the father hit her with a belt and slapped her, and she expressed fear of him.
The parents denied the allegations, claiming the father only rarely spanked the child over two years ago.
The court found the child's disclosures credible and reliable, rejecting the parents' evidence.
The court concluded that the father's excessive physical discipline and the mother's failure to protect the child created a real risk of physical harm, finding the child in need of protection under the Child and Family Services Act.
