Young v. Young

KENNEDY, Judge.

The case now before us involves the question of a natural mother’s willful abandonment of a boy seven years old at trial time, whose adoption is sought by the youth’s stepmother, the wife of the natural father. The natural mother, Christine, has refused to give her written consent to the adoption.

The trial court after trial found willful abandonment by the mother and found that her consent to the adoption was not required under § 453.040(4) RSMo 1978. She has appealed from that judgment.

John II and Christine, natural parents of John III, the child sought to be adopted, were…