One year ago December 9, 2006 my sister in law up and left her at the time 3 mo old son. She said nothing she just left. The lady whom she was living with found the baby in the morning but failed at finding his mom. She then called us to go and get him because she had 5 kids of her own and could not raise this baby. Since then we have contacted Children and Youth and they said because we are family there is no case opened on him. We want to adopt him since we are the only family he knows. Is there a law in PA that at a certain time where they terminate her rights automatically? She was in prison for 5 months for purchasing cocaine from an under cover police officer she was released on October 31, 2007. We have not heard from her since she left the baby over a year ago. What can we do to get her rights terminated? The babies father is a registered sex offener and can have no contact with the baby.

Sounds like the parents are real winners. Sorry for your family situation. I would contact a lawyer that specalizes in adoptions and see what your options are and how fast you can go about it. You might have to also file to have parental rights terminated. Being in the family can get sticky. Good luck and I hope she was not on cocaine when she was pregnant?

You have to make a good faith effort to get the mother to voluntarily relinquish her rights. The father's rights you should have no problem terminating since he represents a danger to the child.

Since you should get an attorney to prepare the adoption petititon, that attorney will advise you what you have to do to show the court you tried to contact the mother.