Court Opinion

ID: 9764742
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 03:38:32.425091+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:01.252082
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Mr. Justice Bell :
In Com. ex rel. Graham v. Graham, 367 Pa. 553, 80 A. 2d 829, a majority of this Court, over my vigorous protest, awarded the custody of a child of 4% years of age to a prea-i-grandfather 78 years of age wlio was living on relief and who had nothing but a three room house with no water, heat or light and no bathroom, in preference to the child’s mother, who had been a trained nurse, but partially blind.
It is some satisfaction to find that this Court has now recognized that a mother is best qualified to have the custody of a child of tender years because nothing can take the place of a real mother’s love. However, that satisfaction is tempered by the fact that the Court has extended the benefits of Motherhood to one who does not possess the qualities and attributes invariably associated with that revered name.
Where, as in the instant case, a mother takes little interest in the care and rearing of her children, and fails to properly feed or clothe or care for them; and where she works during the day and rarely ever stays *179home to look after the children at night, she no longer deserves the precious name of Mother or the custody of her children in preference to foster parents who are devoted and exceptionally well qualified to bring up the children.
The parents asked the respondents to take their children and the testimony established that the respondents took the children with the understanding that they were to be later adopted. They had the children in their home for five months before this issue arose.
The Superior Court agreed with the father of the children and with other witnesses and found that the mother had neglected the children, that (according to their father and the medical testimony) they were ill fed, at times abused, and generally speaking not given proper care by their Mother; and that the Mother’s home or proposed home is “inadequate and relatively unsatisfactory;” and that it was for the best interest and welfare of the children that they should continue to live with their foster parents.
Under such circumstances it is, in my judgment, unquestionably for the best interest and welfare of the children, as the Superior Court found, that their custody be awarded to devoted foster parents instead of to a mother who prefers to work during the day and lead a free and unrestrained life at night rather than give her children the love, attention and care to which they are entitled.
I would affirm this case On the very able opinion of President Judge Rhodes speaking for a unanimous Superior Court.