One year ago, a bedroom in Fernando Canteli and Everson Ladson’s home in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn represented absence. A room that had been lived in, and then suddenly wasn’t. But this winter, the room is alive again.
For most of the year, comfort felt out of reach. The two were told the chances of their foster children returning were almost nonexistent.
What You Need To Know
In April 2022, a 1-year-old boy and 3-month-old girl were removed from their birth mother’s care. They were placed with first-time foster parents Fernando Canteli and Everson Ladson in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
The family lived together until a foster care agency subcontracted by the city’s Administration for Children’s Services and the children’s birth mother made claims against the foster parents — improper hygiene, lacerations, bruises. When those were all deemed unfounded, the agency made a claim of sexual abuse. The couple says they were targeted because they are a homosexual couple
After the children’s removal, the foster care agency moved to permanently close the couple’s Brooklyn home, claiming their type of home was “not needed” in the foster care system. The couple’s last recourse was to appeal to the State Office of Children and Family Services for a “Fair Hearing” to determine whether ACS’s decision to remove the children was arbitrary and capricious
In December, the Family Court judge gave the city a deadline: It had seven days to voluntarily relicense the couples’ home. The children returned to Cantelli and Ladson’s home on Christmas Eve
The story begins in April 2022, when a 1-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl were removed from the care of their birth mother because of domestic violence. The siblings were placed with Canteli and Ladson, who were first-time foster parents.
As the traumatized children settled into their new home, their case was overseen by SCO Family of Services, a foster care agency subcontracted by the city’s Administration for Children’s Services.
Almost immediately, the agency and birth mother began filing claims against the foster parents — improper hygiene, lacerations, bruises. When those were all deemed unfounded, the agency made a claim of sexual abuse.
That too, was determined to be unsubstantiated. Still, the children were then removed from their care and placed in new foster homes.
Canteli and Ladson felt strongly that they were facing a bigger obstacle than a series of unfounded allegations. They believed they were targeted as a homosexual couple.
Ladson then recorded a call with an ACS Special Investigations case worker which seemed to confirm that fear: “I think the foster care agency is kind of avoiding addressing this with you, or being honest to you about it, but the main issue that [the child’s birth mother] has with you is that you guys are a couple. That’s the only issue that she has with you. She’s not gonna stop.”
When NY1 reported their story in February 2025, another abuse claim was filed against them — and once again, deemed unfounded.
ACS says it cannot provide details on specific cases due to confidentiality, but added that along with mandating LGBTQIA+ training for ACS and provider agency staff: “Whenever an instance of homophobia comes to our attention… ACS takes all reports seriously and follows up immediately.”
“All concerns of policy non-compliance are investigated,” ACS said, adding that it “will enforce corrective and/or disciplinary action if it is determined that non-compliance has occurred.”
But Ladson disputes that, instead calling it “a commitment to the error.”
After the children’s removal from Canteli and Ladson’s care, SCO moved to permanently close the couple’s Brooklyn home, claiming their type of home was “not needed” in the foster care system.
In a statement, an SCO spokesperson said that the agency “takes seriously the allegation of homophobia and strongly denies it,” adding that the “allegation goes against our values and long tradition of serving the LGBTQIA+ community including this family who we certified as foster parents.”
“Our first priority is the safety of youth in our care… we are required to assess allegations and take appropriate action in accordance with our obligations. We did so here,” the spokesperson said, adding that SCO stands by its staff and decision in the matter.
After NY1’s story, the children were moved from SCO to a different foster care agency, and the City Council Committee on Children and Youth held a hearing where Canteli and Ladson testified.
After a number of different placements in the first months of their removal, the children finally settled into their sixth foster home — in the Bronx, an hour away from their school.
The couple’s last recourse was to appeal to the State Office of Children and Family Services for a “Fair Hearing” to determine whether ACS’s decision to remove the children was arbitrary and capricious.
The couple says they felt the hearing was unfair, and, “although that is the technical name for it, OCFS would not even listen to the audio of ACS telling us that the removal was because we were a gay couple.”
After months of arguments, the state judge found that the couple’s testimony was “self-serving and stretched credulity.”
The state ruled that the decision to remove the children “was correct.” The case came down to one final decision, and it was up to the family court.
In December, the Family Court judge gave the city a deadline: It had seven days to voluntarily relicense the couples’ home. And that was that. Fourteen months after they were first removed, the children would return.
And on Christmas Eve, more than a year after they were removed, the children returned to Cantelli and Ladson’s Brooklyn home — the biggest wish that the now-7-year-old girl had asked of Santa.