HAMILTON, Ohio (AP) — A couple accused of abandoning theadopted 9-year-old son they raised from
infancy didn’t tell him theywere giving him to child welfare officials, according to documents filedby a
prosecutor.Court documents filed in Butler County CommonPleas Court in Hamilton say the boy’s mother thought
he was a threat tothe family’s safety.Lisa Cox, 52, and her husband, Cleveland Cox,49, pleaded not guilty
Wednesday to misdemeanor charges of nonsupportof dependents.Authorities allege the couple, from Butler
County’sLiberty Township, left the boy with children’s services after saying hewas displaying aggressive
behavior and earlier threatened the familywith a knife.Documents filed by the prosecutor say the
parentsdidn’t tell the boy when they left him with children’s services on Oct.24 that he wouldn’t be
returning home. The boy believed he was going to ahospital to be "fixed," according to the
documents.The boy wasleft with a bag containing some clothes and a handwritten letter fromLisa Cox in which
she said that she loved him and would never forgethim."It breaks my heart that you can no longer be a
part of our family," she wrote.She also said she was praying that God would take care of the boy and
would find the "perfect family" to love him.Countyprosecutor Michael Gmoser declined to comment on
Wednesday. Thecouple’s attorney, Anthony VanNoy, said the case involves "verydifficult issues."The
couple also had been scheduled for ahearing in juvenile court Wednesday on a civil complaint filed by
thecounty’s children’s services agency. The magistrate granted VanNoy’srequest to delay that hearing until
after the criminal case isconcluded.National adoption advocates say failed adoptions ordissolutions are rare
in cases in which children were raised frominfancy and such discord seems to occur more often with youths
adoptedat older ages.People within the adoption community say they worryabout emotional trauma to the boy.
They say giving up a child after somuch time is rare and undermines the stability and commitment thatadopted
children need.Attorney Adolfo Olivas, appointed by thecourt to protect the boy’s interests, declined to
comment Wednesday. Hehas said the emotionally hurt and confused child is now receiving helpthat the parents
should have gotten for him.Each parent could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted.
Trial is scheduled for Feb. 10.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.