MONTICELLO – Sullivan County District Attorney (DA) Brian Conaty held a press conference at his office on Thursday, January 11 to discuss the findings of the 107-page grand jury report released by his office on Thursday, January 4. 

“Today is a day where we remember individuals in CPS [Child Protective Services],” Conaty said, opening the press conference. “It’s not a day where we beat our chest, — it’s a solemn day.”

The grand jury concluded that there was a drastic decline in the filings of abuse and neglect petitions since the County Attorney’s Office took over that responsibility. Conaty said they wish to see that responsibility be reverted back to the Department of Family Services (DFS).

“There has been nearly a 50 percent decline in filing seeking to terminate parental rights, which thereby prevented children from being freed for adoption,” Conaty said. “The office of the County Attorney repeatedly failed to file correct petitions and their request to alter official notes documented by CPS’ conic system is a legal and ethical breach of its duties.”

When asked what recommendations made by the grand jury are the top priorities, Conaty said the first would be diverting the County Attorney’s office from the responsibility of representing CPS in courts of law and putting it back under Commissioner of Health and Human Services, John Liddle. 

“In addition, I believe a Legislative subcommittee exploring how local hospitals can adopt the double doctor override so that we can test maternal refusals for toxicology, as well as infant toxicology [is a priority],” Conaty said. “It’s completely disheartening to know that Sullivan County, by far, has the highest rate of babies born addicted to narcotics.”

Conaty also said that, unfortunately, he doesn’t believe that those numbers are accurately reported due to the refusals to drug test mothers and children at the time of birth. 

“I think it would be important to get those numbers as accurate as possible, and I think that would be helpful going forward,” he said. 

District 2 Legislator and Chairwoman Nadia Rajsz said that she and the County Legislature will do “whatever it can to support the DA and the Commissioner of Social Services to ensure that these recommendations are addressed and corrected.”

Conaty said, that while there won’t be any legal representation if the county does not take up any of the recommendations, the elected representatives are put on notice by what the grand jury found. 

“That won’t necessarily be legally taken into account,” Conaty said, “but potentially in the ballot box whenever they come up again.”

“This tragedy cannot be allowed to happen again,” he said. “I am sure that Sullivan County is put on notice that changes need to be made and calls for new bold ideas and leadership, and I’m optimistic that we can go forward from here.”

Conaty also responded to the former County Attorney Michael McGuire, who had come out and criticized the grand jury report. 

“This report does not identify any individual by name, nor is it critical of any identifiable person,” Conaty said. “However, the former County Attorney Michael McGuire has taken it upon himself to criticize both the grand jury’s findings and the procedures of the grand jury investigation. It is important to note, however, that Mike McGuire was afforded the opportunity to testify before this grand jury and present evidence. However, he chose not to do so.”