What Ohio must change so this never happens to another child
- Tell both parents when a protection order arrives. When a school or child-care center receives a protection order that covers a child it enrolls or has just enrolled, it must tell both parents in writing, the same day, that it has the order. The Goddard owner testified that is what his school "usually" does. In May 2022 it told neither of us.
- A parent's safety request is not a message to forward. When a parent tells a school that only she may pick up her child, the school should ask for the court papers and keep the child safe while they come, not email the request to the other parent first.
My Younger Son went to The Goddard School in Macedonia for pre-K from September 8, 2021 to May 6, 2022. I enrolled him, I signed his enrollment packet, and I am listed first on it. Both of the school's administrators testified that I was the one who usually brought him in each morning. On May 4, 2022, two days before I filed for a protection order, I told the school that only I could take him. The next morning the owner emailed my ex-husband and me about it.
What happened
On May 4, 2022 I told Goddard that only I could accompany my Younger Son. At 8:21 AM on May 5, before any court order existed, the owner, Chris Lindley, emailed my ex-husband and me to "confirm" it. I filed for a protection order on May 6, 2022; it was stamped May 9. The school received the order that week. The owner testified that the school usually tells both parents when it gets one, and that this time it told neither of us. On May 20, 2022 he testified under a subpoena from my ex-husband's attorney, Lisa Dean, and gave two wrong dates. On November 11, 2022 the director, Alicia Warrington, testified that "predominantly it was Carey Ann dropping off" and that my son had no discipline issues and was "very social."
Running totals of what my case cost are on the costs and time page. The Goddard tuition was paid before the case began, so it is not counted there.
Who they are
The Goddard School in Macedonia, Ohio is a private pre-K and child-care center. Chris Lindley is its owner; he signs his emails "School Owner." Alicia A. Warrington is its director; on November 11, 2022 she testified she had held that position for six years and had been at the school for eleven (Warrington dep. 4:13–21). My Younger Son was in the Rockin' Robins pre-K room.
September 2021 to May 2022: I was his parent at Goddard
I enrolled my Younger Son at Goddard. His application is dated September 1, 2021, and his enrollment agreement and forms are dated September 8, 2021. I signed every page, and I am listed first, with my cell phone. On September 7, 2021, I brought him in for his interview day; September 8 was his first day in the Robin room. At 9:06 AM on September 7 I texted my mother, "I'm dropping [him] off at school this morning." On September 8 the school's Preschool2me app registered me as his parent, and its first daily report, sent to me, says he "had a wonderful first day in the Robin room!" Its daily reports came to me. The school's own emails went to both of us.
Both administrators said I was the one who usually brought him in:
- The owner, May 20, 2022: "I think it was primarily Carey -- Carey Ann most of the time, and [my ex-husband] was most of the time picking up" (hearing 5/20/22, 82:1–8). He also said he knew of no instructions, orders or restrictions that would prevent me from picking him up (87:16–21).
- The director, November 11, 2022: her office is at the front, where she can see who comes in and goes out "at all times" (dep. 5:3–12). "I would say most of the time was Carey Ann. On occasion I would also see [my ex-husband], but predominantly it was Carey Ann dropping off" (7:12–16). She leaves around 3:30, so she could not say who picked him up more (7:17–25; 8:14–16).
Pickups. The owner said my ex-husband was "most of the time picking up." My texts show we both did pickups. The first time my texts show him going to get our son was September 14, 2021, his fifth day there. At 3:16 PM he texted me, "What's the number to text for picking up [him]?" At 3:21 PM I answered, "Just go in and pick up." That fall he also asked me to do his pickups: "I need you to pick up [him]" (November 9, 2021); "Maybe you could just pick [him] up for me since you're out?" (November 10); "it would greatly help me if you could pick [him] up so I can keep working outside" (November 16); "Would it be possible for you to pick [him] up today?" (November 18); "it would be a big help to me if you could get [him]" (December 9, 2021).
March to May 2022: why I took him out of Goddard
By March 2022 I was already working to move him. On March 9, 2022 I emailed the director that a classmate had told him "she wants to kill him and she hates him ... He said she said it multiple times." The director answered on March 10: "I will discuss with the teachers and we will monitor this." (emails, 3/9/22 and 3/10/22)
- March 17 and 18, 2022. I took him to South Suburban Montessori in Brecksville for an interview. The next morning I forwarded them Goddard's March tuition reminder: "please let me know ASAP if I can get him in the rest of the year so I don't have to pay another month at Goddard!" On March 21 that school said no.
- March 21, 2022, 8:12 PM. I wrote to Hudson Montessori School: "Hi! I'd like to get my four year old in this year if possible for the rest of the year starting in april. ... he's currently in Goddard. Please let me know what my next steps would be for enrollment." I also asked about its summer program and kindergarten for the next school year.
- March 21, 2022, 9:02 and 9:10 PM. I texted my ex-husband: "I'm trying to get him in Hudson - if they don't have space this year he will have to stay at Goddard," and "I need to get him out of that Goddard."
- April 28, 2022. I wrote to Hudson Montessori again: "Hi - can you let me know what the next step is for me to enroll [him]?"
In May 2022, my attorney, Kimberly Valenti, advised me to take him out of Goddard. I was glad to. I had already applied to Hudson Montessori, and he had been telling me the kids there were being mean to him. His last day was Friday, May 6, 2022. Both administrators said I was the one who told the school he would not be back (hearing 5/20/22, 77:7–12; Warrington dep. 12:7–17).
The Florida plan we made together
I met my ex-husband on October 14, 2009, at a Regency Roofing golf tournament in Florida. He ran his dad's company there. His dad lived in Florida and his mom lived in Ohio. He was supposed to take over the Florida branch when his dad retired, but his dad kept putting off retirement.
Our Florida winters. We went every year from 2014 through 2019, usually in January:
- 2014: February–March
- 2015: January–February
- 2016: January
- 2017: January. From August to October 2017 we were there again for the Stuart project he managed.
- 2018: January–March. My journal entry of January 20, 2018: "yearly family winter vacation ... working for his dad in his Lantana office ... all expense paid by regency roofing."
- 2019: January–April
- 2019–20: the one winter we didn't go. I decided to stay because my Older Son was in school.
- 2021–22: December–January.
South Suburban Montessori, 2021. We applied together for both boys to South Suburban Montessori in Brecksville. I signed the applications on May 11, 2021 and he signed them on June 1, 2021. On June 2, 2021 he emailed them to the school himself: "A check for the admission fees is in the mail today." On August 26, 2021 I texted him, "The kids will be in school there half the year and here the other half." On August 27, 2021 we both brought the boys in for their visits. On September 10, 2021 the school wrote to both of us that, citing "SSMS's inability to accommodate 1/2 year enrollments," it was "withdrawing enrollment applications."
His texts, 2022. January 2, 2022: "I'm personally setting up Florida 2022-23." January 3, 2022: "Let's do this / I'm ready." March 21, 2022: "What day does [my Younger Son] start at the Montessori next week?"
Hudson Montessori, 2022. On June 22, 2022 I asked Hudson Montessori School to enroll both boys, my Younger Son for kindergarten and my Older Son for 4th grade. On July 25, 2022 the school asked, "Would you like your applications to remain open?" I said yes, until the court ruled on custody.
How it was turned around. Lisa Dean opened the May 20, 2022 hearing with Florida: her client called her on February 9, 2022, "indicating that he believed his wife was going to be relocating to Florida" (hearing 5/20/22, 4:21–25). Later that day he was asked why his texts agreed with me about moving to Florida. He answered, "To try and save my marriage" (202:20). The June 8, 2022 order says he "is concerned Wife is attempting to abscond with the children" (order 6/8/22, p. 2).
What my ex-husband did was fraud upon the court, with the help of Lisa Dean and Judge Susan Steinhauer.
| What he claimed | What the records show |
|---|---|
| May 20, 2022, under oath: "we've had two-plus years of her threatening to take the children and move to Florida" (hearing 5/20/22, 177:3–5) | We went to Florida as a family every winter from 2014 through 2019, while he worked for his dad's company there. In 2021 we both signed South Suburban Montessori applications for both boys, and he emailed them to the school himself on June 2, 2021 (Exhibits G-1 and G-2). |
| May 20, 2022, under oath, on my plan for half the school year in Florida and half in Ohio: "I -- I didn't think that was a good idea" (131:10–13) | He signed both applications on June 1, 2021 and sent them on June 2, 2021. We both brought the boys for their visits on August 27, 2021. On March 21, 2022 he texted me, "What day does [my Younger Son] start at the Montessori next week?" |
| May 20, 2022, under oath, asked "did you agree to move to Florida?": "No." (134:15–16) | January 2, 2022: "I'm personally setting up Florida 2022-23." January 3, 2022: "Let's do this / I'm ready." Asked about those texts later that day, he said, "To try and save my marriage" (202:20). |
| May 4, 2022, his text: "When you threatened to take [my Younger Son] to Florida without me this past winter" | He was in Florida with us that winter. January 17, 2022, his text: "when I left Florida and hugged me sincerely when you dropped us off at the airport in Orlando." |
| June 8, 2022 order: he "is concerned Wife is attempting to abscond with the children" (order 6/8/22, p. 2) | I took my Younger Son out of Goddard on my attorney's advice. I testified that I intend to remain in Ohio (order 6/8/22, p. 16). On June 22, 2022 I asked Hudson Montessori School, in Ohio, to enroll both boys. |
It was a plan we made together for years, and it was turned into a reason to take my sons.
May 4 and 5, 2022: my request, sent to my ex-husband
On May 4, 2022 I told the school that only I could accompany my Younger Son. On May 5, 2022 at 8:21 AM, the owner wrote to my ex-husband and me:
"It was brought to our attention yesterday, per Careyann, that [my Younger Son] is only allowed to be accompanied by Careyann while in our school, for the foreseeable future. No one else is permitted. I'm writing to you both simply to confirm this with both of you. Please be reminded that if legal documents exist, they must be delivered to us as well." (email, 5/5/22)
No custody or protection order existed yet. I filed for the protection order the next day, May 6, 2022, and it was stamped May 9. The owner had heard from me before about my ex-husband: he testified that I had mentioned something "about [my ex-husband]" and that I might "get something in the future, some sort of restraining order" (hearing 80:3–10). In court he described his May 5 email as telling us "her and [my ex-husband] were getting a divorce" (74:8–16). The email does not say that.
The week of May 9, 2022: the protection order the school kept to itself
On May 9, 2022 at 12:05 PM the owner emailed us both that my Younger Son "is now done attending school here, effective last Friday," and that we owed one week of tuition, $271. The protection order reached the school that same week. The director testified it was "hand delivered to us like from the courts, a printout of it" (Warrington dep. 14:16–22). The owner testified it came "maybe the 9th, 10th, 11th, something like that" (hearing 85:8–15).
Asked what the school normally does when it receives a protection order, he said: "We usually just -- I mean, we usually make it known to -- to both parties that, you know, we got -- we, you know, received this communication." This time, "since [my Younger Son] wasn't attending, I didn't feel any more action was needed." Did he tell either parent? "Correct," he did not (85:16–86:9).
What the owner said under oath on May 20, 2022
The owner came to court because my ex-husband's attorney, Lisa Dean, subpoenaed him: "So not necessarily voluntarily, but --" "Correct." (hearing 71:9–16) Two of the dates he gave were wrong.
| The owner's testimony, 5/20/22 | The record |
|---|---|
| "I think they started -- I think they started in November of 2021." (72:11–12) | He started on September 8, 2021. The school's own daily report that day calls it his "first day in the Robin room"; the school registered me on its app the same day; the school's statement charges a prorated tuition for September 2021; the enrollment agreement is dated September 8, 2021. |
| His last day was "Friday, May 7th" (71:25–72:1; 75:16). | May 7, 2022 was a Saturday. His last day was Friday, May 6, 2022, the date of his last daily report. |
"Taking the children out of school": what Lisa Dean said, and what the records show
My ex-husband's attorney, Lisa Dean, told the court I had taken my sons out of school. She put both boys together. My Older Son's school is on the St. Barnabas page. My Younger Son was not in school. He was in pre-K at a licensed child care center. He hadn't even turned five yet. In Ohio, a child is "of compulsory school age" at six.
| What Dean said | What the records show |
|---|---|
| May 20, 2022, opening statement: "She did not tell him that she was going to be taking the children out of school, that she had picked them up early, that she was not going to be returning them to school." (hearing 5/20/22, 8:22–9:1) | Goddard Macedonia is a Licensed Child Care Center, license no. 000000106666, licensed since June 22, 2007 (Ohio Child Care Search, checked October 17, 2026). The magistrate said that day: "It's day care until a certain age, and then it's two years of preschool" (78:3–5). |
| May 20, 2022, cross-examining me: "But they have not been attending school?" ... "Did you dis-enroll them?" (310:23–311:2) | He hadn't even turned five yet. His room was pre-K, "four and five year old" (Warrington dep. 6:2–4). On March 21, 2022 I had written to Hudson Montessori about "my four year old." Ohio law: "A child between six and eighteen years of age is 'of compulsory school age'" (R.C. 3321.01(A)(1)). The director agreed there is no legal requirement that four- and five-year-olds attend any pre-K program in Ohio: "There is not, no." (dep. 11:24–12:2) |
| June 8, 2022 order, summarizing my cross-examination: "Wife admitted the children are not currently enrolled in school and, at the ex parte hearing, Wife did not tell the Magistrate she intended to remove the children from school." (order 6/8/22, p. 16) | I took my Younger Son out of a child care center, on my attorney's advice, when he was four. No law required him to be there. No custody order existed while he attended. |
What the director said under oath on November 11, 2022
My attorney, Darren DeHaven, subpoenaed the director, Alicia Warrington, and deposed her on November 11, 2022, from 10:50 to 11:10 AM. Besides who did the drop-offs, she said:
- My Younger Son had no discipline issues. Asked whether he seemed to be a good kid, well adjusted and behaved, she said yes. Asked whether he got along with the other kids: "Yeah, yes, he was very social." Asked about tantrums or outbursts: "Nothing abnormal, no." Nothing was brought to her attention, and she said it would have been (dep. 9:4–10:3).
- Both parents called the same way, "maybe just like a late pickup or late dropoff" (10:20–11:3).
- The protection order was hand delivered to the school "from the courts," not by my ex-husband (14:16–22).
My Younger Son, before and after
Before. My Younger Son went to Young Explorers from February 24, 2020 to May 26, 2021. None of the school's emails to me reported a single behavior incident. On October 5, 2020 the school's photo caption read, "[my Younger Son] is loving snack time with his new friends!" At Goddard, the director, Alicia Warrington, testified under oath on November 11, 2022 about the 2021–22 school year. Asked whether he had any discipline issues: "No." Asked whether he seemed to be a good kid: "Yes." Well adjusted: "Yes." Asked whether he got along with the other kids: "Yeah, yes, he was very social." Asked about tantrums or outbursts: "Nothing abnormal, no." (Warrington dep. 11/11/22, p. 9)
After. On June 11, 2022 he went back to his father, separated from his mother. Supervised visits with me resumed on August 4, 2022. About September 22, 2022, roughly 15 weeks after he was separated from me and a few weeks into kindergarten, St. Barnabas moved him down to pre-K for behavior. Asked whether it was recommended that he "may not be ready from a behavioral standpoint to be in kindergarten," the principal, Erin Faetanini, answered, "That is correct." Asked whether there were any issues with him academically, she said, "No." (Faetanini dep. 12/20/22, 29:18–22, 30:3–4) In mid-November 2022 the school recommended that he move to another school (33:1–13). He was withdrawn effective December 21, 2022. He was moved down to pre-K and then recommended to leave, and no one from the school contacted me about any of it.
Emails and records, in order
| Date | From → To | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| 1/20/18 | My journal | "yearly family winter vacation ... working for his dad in his Lantana office ... all expense paid by regency roofing" |
| 5/11/21 and 6/1/21 | Both parents → South Suburban Montessori | Applications for both boys, signed by me (5/11/21) and him (6/1/21); "With whom does your child live?" Both parents |
| 6/2/21 | My ex-husband → South Suburban Montessori | Sends both applications: "A check for the admission fees is in the mail today." |
| 8/26/21 | Me → my ex-husband (text) | "The kids will be in school there half the year and here the other half" |
| 8/27/21 | Both parents | We bring both boys to South Suburban Montessori for their visits |
| 9/10/21 | South Suburban Montessori → both parents | "SSMS's inability to accommodate 1/2 year enrollments" ... "withdrawing enrollment applications" |
| 9/1/21 and 9/8/21 | Me → Goddard | Enrollment application (9/1/21), and agreement and forms (9/8/21), signed by me; I am listed first |
| 9/8/21 | Preschool2me → me | "You have been registered as a Parent/Guardian at The Goddard School - Macedonia" |
| 9/8/21 | Goddard daily report → me | His first day: "[my Younger Son] had a wonderful first day in the Robin room!" |
| 9/14/21, 3:16 PM | My ex-husband → me (text) | "What's the number to text for picking up [him]?" Me, 3:21 PM: "Just go in and pick up" |
| 1/2/22 and 1/3/22 | My ex-husband → me (texts) | "I'm personally setting up Florida 2022-23"; "Let's do this / I'm ready" |
| 3/9/22 and 3/10/22 | Me → director; director → me | A classmate told him "she wants to kill him and she hates him"; "I will discuss with the teachers and we will monitor this" |
| 3/18/22 | Me → South Suburban Montessori | "please let me know ASAP if I can get him in the rest of the year so I don't have to pay another month at Goddard!" |
| 3/21/22, 8:12 PM | Me → Hudson Montessori | "I'd like to get my four year old in this year if possible for the rest of the year starting in april" |
| 3/21/22, 9:01 PM | My ex-husband → me (text) | "What day does [my Younger Son] start at the Montessori next week?" |
| 3/21/22, 9:10 PM | Me → my ex-husband (text) | "I need to get him out of that Goddard" |
| 4/28/22 | Me → Hudson Montessori | "can you let me know what the next step is for me to enroll [him]?" |
| 5/5/22, 8:21 AM | Owner → my ex-husband and me | "It was brought to our attention yesterday, per Careyann, that [my Younger Son] is only allowed to be accompanied by Careyann ... I'm writing to you both simply to confirm this with both of you." |
| 5/6/22 | Me → the court | I file for a protection order; stamped 5/9/22 |
| 5/9/22, 12:05 PM | Owner → my ex-husband and me | "[my Younger Son] is now done attending school here, effective last Friday ... you do owe 1 week of tuition for May - $271" |
| Week of 5/9/22 | Court → Goddard | Protection order hand delivered. The school tells neither parent. |
| 5/20/22 | Owner, under oath | Start "November of 2021"; last day "Friday, May 7th" |
| 5/20/22 | Lisa Dean, opening; my ex-husband, under oath | "he believed his wife was going to be relocating to Florida" (4:21–25); why his texts agreed: "To try and save my marriage" (202:20) |
| 6/8/22 | Court order, p. 2 | "concerned Wife is attempting to abscond with the children" |
| 6/22/22 | Me → Hudson Montessori | I ask to enroll both boys, kindergarten and 4th grade |
| 7/25/22 | Hudson Montessori → me | "Would you like your applications to remain open?" I say yes, pending the custody ruling |
| 11/11/22 | Director, under oath | "predominantly it was Carey Ann dropping off" |
What it cost: before the case
The school's statement, addressed to me first, shows $9,190.00 in charges from September 2021 to May 2022. I paid $6,940. These payments were made before my custody case began. They show who paid for my Younger Son's pre-K. They are not case costs and are not counted on the costs page.
| Item | Amount | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration | $150.00 | 9/2021 | School statement |
| Tuition, September 2021 (prorated) to May 2022 (one week) | $9,040.00 | 9/2021 – 5/2022 | School statement |
| Total charged | $9,190.00 | ||
| Paid by me | $6,940.00 | 9/2021 – 6/2022 | School statement |
| Payer not shown on the statement | $2,250.00 | 10/14/21 and 4/24/22 | School statement |
Children's names, birthdates and addresses are left out of every quote, and no photo of my son is used. Names inside quotes are replaced in brackets. Times are Eastern.