“If there isn’t an agreement, the parties will be back in court on Friday,” said Hepfling.
The custody hearing, which has garnered national attention, began July 29 and 30 before Montgomery County Juvenile Court Judge Nick Kuntz and was rescheduled for Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 when the proceedings took longer than expected.
Kuntz was expected to rule on Mills’ parental rights; if he upheld them, that would set the stage for a custody trial between Doss and Mills. Kuntz was also expected to hear testimony regarding Jordan of Middletown, who is also seeking custody and is raising Mills’ two older daughters with Vanessa’s birth mother, Andrea Conley of Riverside.
The first two days of the custody hearing presented two very different views of Mills. Relatives portrayed him as a caring, loving father, while Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias Heck Jr. portrayed him as an unemployed father who doesn’t have custody of his four older children .
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2209 or mmccarty@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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