Substantial evidence supported finding that mother abandoned child, and thus her consent to adoption was not required; child had been in the custody of mother’s ex-husband since 2005, child had seen mother only once in the eight years, mother only had periodic telephone calls with child, during the six month period before the adoption petition was filed mother had no contact with child, mother sent three packages to child and child’s sibling over an eight year span of time, and mother received over $20,000 in child support for child but only sent child $400.
http://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=69596
Laura W. Morgan is the owner and operator at Family Law Consulting in Charlottesville, Virginia.Laura is available for consultation, brief writing and research on family law issues throughout the country. She can be reached through her website. www.
