CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. — After a three-day hearing a judge has denied the state of Georgia’s request to terminate the parental rights of a Camden County couple, Corey and Diana Sullivan and ordered a six-month reunification plan.
“Right now, I'm just overrun with emotions,” Sullivan said as she walked out of the Camden County Juvenile Justice Courthouse. “It was great we didn't lose our parental rights, but I'm a little bit in a state of shock that I don't get to go home to my kids today.”
The Sullivans have been fighting to regain custody of their three young children since October 2023, when they took their youngest daughter to the hospital for a swollen leg. Doctors at Wolfson Children’s Hospital determined their baby had numerous fractures and a child abuse pediatrician with the First Coast Child Protection Team was called in to investigate. They determined the injuries were the result of child abuse, and all three of the Sullivan’s children were removed from their custody.
“The judge denied the TPR (termination of parental rights) which is great news for us,” Corey Sullivan said. “He gave us a plan to work, and if we get through that plan there should not be any reason we cannot be reunited with our children…so I feel positive about that.”
Judge Brent Green listened to three days of testimony before making his decision. In their closing arguments, attorneys described the testimony as a battle of the experts with the state calling medical experts to describe why they believe the baby’s fractures were caused by abuse. The Sullivan’s attorneys called experts to dispute that and pointed to metabolic bone disease that could explain their daughter’s injuries.
On the final day of the Termination of Parental Rights hearing, both Corey and Diana Sullivan testified. Corey Sullivan told the court they spent at least $70,000 on IVF and fertility treatments for Diana Sullivan to get pregnant and had spent more than $100,000 in legal expenses defending themselves and trying to regain custody.
“The emotional completely outweighs the financial,” Corey Sullivan said. “I would pay it a million times over to get my children it back, and they could never put a price on all I've missed. My daughter's first birth, Christmas, her first words.”
“Me and my husband met in sixth grade and wanted nothing more than a large family. Unfortunately, our path was infertility, and we fought tooth and nail to have all three of our beautiful children, and just to have them stolen from us in a matter of hours by a child abuse pediatrician is unfathomable,” Diana Sullivan said.
In December 2023, two months after their children were removed from their custody, Corey Sullivan was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery and cruelty to a child, allegations he adamantly denies. As a condition of his bond, he was ordered not to have contact with his youngest daughter he was accused of abusing. While he has not been indicted, that bond condition is still in place.
“There is a motion pending to amend the bond condition, and it's been pending since May and we expect that will be heard soon,” attorney Kevin Gough who represents Corey Sullivan said. “We are going to ask the Criminal Court to amend the bond conditions, so he can participate in reunification plan under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court.”
Corey Sullivan is eager to clear his name. The Sullivans are now focused on following the reunification plan and doing everything they can to regain custody of their children as soon as possible. For now, their children will remain in the care of their relatives and the Camden County The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) will allow Diana Sullivan to have supervised visitation with her three children and Corey Sullivan with two of their children.
“I just can’t wait to go home,” Diana Sullivan said.
“We just can’t wait to be with our children,” Corey Sullivan said.
The Special Assistant Attorney General for Georgia representing The Division of Family and Children Services declined to comment.