A Butler woman who faced criminal charges in the death of her son two years ago and is on track to have her parental rights to her daughter terminated will not be allowed to visit her daughter while she appeals an abuse case.
Butler County President Judge Thomas Doerr ruled yesterday that Angela Grace Leasure should not be allowed to visit her 1-year-old pending a ruling from state Superior Court.
Following medical testimony about the abuse suffered by Kaylan Leasure, Butler County juvenile court ruled in February that the aggravated circumstances in the case warranted termination of parental rights. The child's father, Ryan Napier, is in an out-of-state jail.
Leasure, 27, contends in her appeal that no aggravated circumstances exist and that Butler County Children and Youth Services should establish a plan to reunite the family.
If Superior Court rules against her, the county would convene a hearing after CYS files a petition to actually terminate her parental rights.
Kaylan was taken by child welfare officials from Leasure in November, after the mother brought the girl to Armstrong County Memorial Hospital. Physicians at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh later determined that the baby, then 4 months old, had a broken arm as well as three older bone fractures.
Juvenile court master Gwilym Price determined aggravated circumstances in the case existed because Kaylan's abuse was "sadistic and repeated," and whoever committed it had "no hope of redemption" through the system.
Price said he didn't know whether the culprit was the mother or father but he believed one committed the violence and the other allowed it to happen.
Leasure was involved with CYS before. Her 2-year-old son, Dylan, died Oct. 31, 2002, of blood poisoning days after CYS had returned him to the home he shared with his mother and Napier, who was not Dylan's father.
Dylan was removed from the home after it was discovered that he had a burn on his leg, a crushed finger, and serious bruising and swelling of his penis and scrotum.
Leasure was charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. The charges were later dropped.
First Published: September 16, 2004, 4:00 a.m.