Opinion ID: 2067710
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether the Father Abandoned the Child

Text: [¶ 11] Abandonment is defined as: [A]ny conduct on the part of the parent showing an intent to forego parental duties or relinquish parental claims. The intent may be evidenced by: A. Failure, for a period of at least 6 months, to communicate meaningfully with the child; B. Failure, for a period of at least 6 months, to maintain regular visitation with the child; C. Failure to participate in any plan or program designed to reunite the parent with the child; D. Deserting the child without affording means of identifying the child and his parent or custodian; E. Failure to respond to notice of child protective proceedings; or F. Any other conduct indicating an intent to forego parental duties or relinquish parental claims. 22 M.R.S. § 4002(1-A) (2008). Although incarceration does not, by itself, constitute abandonment, the separation caused by incarceration creates the necessity for an even greater effort to foster a nurturing relationship. In re Daniel C., 480 A.2d 766, 768-69 (Me.1984); see also In re Shannon R., 461 A.2d 707, 714 (Me.1983) (holding that a mere flicker of interest in a child by a parent is not sufficient to preclude a finding of abandonment) (quotation marks omitted). [¶ 12] In this case, the father has not made any effort to foster a nurturing relationship with the child, and has not shown more than a mere flicker of interest in the child. See In re Shannon R., 461 A.2d at 714, Although the father had knowledge of the petition for adoption seven months prior to the hearing, he did not seek to communicate with the child or the adoptive parents, to engage his own family and have the child introduced to his family, or to obtain photographs of the child. Nor has he provided the child with any type of financial support. In fact, the father's only involvement in the child's life has been the initiation of these proceedings. The evidence supports the court's finding that the father did not establish that he did not abandon the child.