Termination of Parental Rights • Adoption • Failure to Perform Parental Duties

In re BGR, PICS Case No. 17-0762 (C.P. Lycoming Apr. 21, 2017) McCoy, J. (10 pages).

Clear and convincing evidence supported termination of a biological father's parental rights where he had no contact with the child and failed to express any concern about her for longer than the six-month period provided by statute. The court concluded the child's welfare would be served by termination of the father's parental rights.

Petitioner sought to terminate the parental rights of a child's biological father so she could adopt the child. Prior to the child's birth, the biological mother sought out petitioner and asked if she would be willing to adopt the child. The biological father of the child was incarcerated at the time of the child's birth. The birth mother signed a consent to adoption. By the time the adoption proceeding was filed, father had been released from prison and the biological parents were living together. Father was served with the petition for involuntary termination of his parental rights, but he did not appear at the hearing. The child had resided since birth with petitioner.