County spent $4,000 for dad to visit baby Vanessa

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By Mary McCarty, Staff Writer Updated 11:01 PM Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services has paid nearly $4,000 for Benjamin Mills Jr. of Dayton to visit his 2-year-old daughter Vanessa in California.

Approximately $1,300 was spent on a trip scheduled for this week that Mills canceled at the last minute. He was scheduled to visit with Vanessa on Wednesday under the supervision of the child’s court-appointed guardian ad litem.

Mills is engaged in a nationally publicized custody battle with Stacey Doss, a 45-year-old single mother who wants to adopt Vanessa. “This was to have been his fourth free trip to California, and the third one funded by Ohio citizens,” Doss said.

Ann Stevens, spokesperson for Montgomery County Children Services, said that the county is complying with orders from Juvenile Court. “In these difficult economic times, it’s not uncommon for parental visits to take place out of town,” she said. “People need to keep in mind that Mr. Mills is still legally this child’s father.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2209  or mmccarty@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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