Court entered order terminating parental rights of Respondent father after a contested adoption proceeding permitting Petitioners (biological mother of child and her husband) to adopt the minor child. Record contains sufficient evidence supporting court's finding that father failed to maintain a reasonable degree of interest, concern, or responsibility toward minor both prior to and after he was incarcerated for a domestic battery case involving strangulation of a woman other than minor's mother. Evidence supported court's finding of depravity, The evidence sufficiently established a course of conduct of sufficient duration and repetition to establish a moral deficiency coupled with an inability or unwillingness to conform to accepted morality, including violent conduct including strangulation of other women and a man, and verbal and physical abuse of minor's mother. (WELCH and BARBERIS, concurring.)
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Termination of Parental Rights