Hey there,
I have a two-year-old daughter. Her biological father has never met her and doesn’t provide any legal financial support. Sometimes he sends me $150 every other week, but he doesn’t ask about her or anything else. He lives eight hours away, is married, and his wife doesn’t know about our daughter. He hasn’t acknowledged her on her birthdays, Christmas, or any other occasions. When I told him I was pregnant, he pretty much left. I want to give up his rights as her father, but I’ve heard that in Texas, they prefer not to grant that because they think children need a father. There’s no father listed on her birth certificate. While I’d like him to help financially, I’m willing to give up child support if it means he won’t try to take her or have visitation rights. It’s not about the money; I just want him out of our lives. He still talks to me, but only because he wants to talk to me, not about our daughter. When I mention child support, he says he doesn’t want that stress. I’m a single mom raising her, and I’ve been doing it on my own for so long that I don’t care about his money anymore. Can I terminate his rights due to child abandonment? If not, what can I do? Any advice is appreciated. Also, he doesn’t receive pictures of her because he finds it too difficult to look at them.
There are specific situations in which a parent or potential adoptive parent may want to prove abandonment in court.
Once abandonment has been proven, the parental rights of the parent who abandoned the child can be terminated.
Abandonment is crucial for cases like stepparent adoptions, where one biological parent’s consent is missing due to their absence or refusal, leading the custodial parent to seek rights termination. It’s also relevant for adoptions by the biological mother needing the uninvolved biological father’s consent, with state laws on abandonment facilitating the process despite challenges in locating the father.
In Texas, terminating parental rights typically requires a court order and is usually based on specific grounds such as abandonment, abuse, or neglect. It may be challenging to prove abandonment solely based on lack of involvement or financial support. Consulting with a family law attorney in Texas is advisable for personalized legal advice and assistance in navigating the process. Documenting interactions with the biological father can be useful if legal action is pursued. Remember to prioritize your and your daughter’s well-being and seek support when needed.
Child abandonment and rights relinquishment involve a parent or guardian voluntarily giving up their legal rights and responsibilities to a child. This can happen due to various reasons, such as inability to provide care, financial difficulties, or personal issues. Legal processes ensure the child’s well-being and placement into a stable environment, often through adoption or foster care.