In Re David

WEATHERBEE, Justice.

This is a petition for the Writ of Habeas Corpus brought by the mother of an illegitimate child against the Executive Director of a licensed child-placing agency to whom she had surrendered her parental rights in her child so that the agency might place the child for adoption. A Single Justice in the Superior Court ruled that the surrender-release was invalid and that the best interests of the child required its return to the mother. The Defendant’s appeal brings the matter before us.

Written briefs were presented to the Court by counsel for both parties but before oral…