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The role of parental rights termination in adoption

Shockingly, an infant was discovered in a plastic bag near a Cypress apartment building. Three months after the discovery family members have yet to come forward and claim the infant. According to KHOU-TV, a Harris County court terminated the biological mother’s parental rights. Now, the abandoned newborn is closer to adoption. According to the report, Child Protective Services has sought the baby’s birth parents since she was discovered.

The Houston Chronicle notes that, according to the Child Protective Services spokesperson, the biological parents can contest the decision up to 30 days after the judge signs the termination order. Even if a parent comes forward, she said, the baby may not be released into that person’s care, but a relative of the child would be considered. The baby is currently in the care of a foster family that wishes to adopt her, according to the Chronicle.

Child abandonment is one reason for parental termination

Abandonment, much like in this case, is a very clear example where a person’s parental rights could be terminated. Abandonment can include situations where a parent deserts the child without regard for that child’s health, safety or welfare. In cases of neglect or child abandonment, state statutes provide for the termination of parental rights, effectively ending the legal parent-child relationship. While extreme, the legal and permanent termination of a parent’s rights can be critical in these cases. This step is important step because the child will be eligible for adoption following the termination. Like baby Chloe, the family caring for an abandoned child was placed may seek an adoption.

Support for family adopting an abandoned child

Expect in the case of the death of a parent, the termination of existing parental rights is mandatory before a child can be adopted. In the case of an abandoned or neglected child, the laws of the State of Texas require that the Courts and State Agencies will look to extended family members with priority before looking outside the family regarding adoption.

A skilled family law attorney can guide the prospective adoptive parents through such difficult adoption processes. The help of a lawyer familiar with adoption cases can leverage state laws about the rights of birth parents and other family members of an abandoned child. A lawyer can take a person through each step of the process in order to familiarize a person with the required documentation and other requirements. Adoption can be a very detailed process so a family law attorney’s assistance can help to navigate problematic situations and other important aspects of the adoption process.