Adoption of Serge

The mother has appealed from a decree of the Worcester Juvenile Court pursuant to G. L. c. 210, § 3, and G. L. c. 119, § 26, dispensing with her consent to the adoption of her son, Serge, by 'the foster parents with whom Serge has lived since shortly after he was bom. At the time of trial in the fall of 1999, Serge was twenty-one months old. Serge’s legal father (the man to whom the mother was married when Serge was bom) voluntarily waived his rights to the child. The putative father has never seen Serge and has never been involved with him. The putative father did not appear at trial. His…