A Georgia father forfeited his parental rights to his biological child when he, among another things, encouraged the mother to get an abortion, the state’s Supreme Court ruled this week.
The 6-3 decision allows a couple, Lance and Ashley Hall, to proceed with the adoption of an unnamed three-year-old boy they have had custody of since he was born in 2016, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The biological mother, Jeannie Mathenia, became pregnant in 2016 after a “one-time sexual encounter” with the biological father, Joshua Brumbelow, the court said.
The case began when Brumbelow filed for parental rights on Aug. 23, 2016, several weeks after the child was born (July 10, 2016). By then, Mathenia had legally surrendered her rights, and the child was living with the Halls, who have had exclusive custody of the boy.
A trial court ruled against Brumbelow. The Georgia Supreme Court, in its May 18 decision, agreed with the lower court.
“Having made a factual finding that Brumbelow did offer to pay for an abortion, the trial court was authorized to weigh that fact as strong evidence of abandonment of Brumbelow’s interest in parenting the child,” the Supreme Court ruled. “Importantly, the trial court found other evidence it deemed probative of a determination of abandonment – particularly, Brumbelow’s initial denial of paternity and the lack of action on his part…
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