Gunther Adoption Case

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Jones,

This appeal challenges the propriety of a decree of the County Court of Philadelphia County which permitted the adoption of a four-year old male child over the objection of the child’s natural mother.

The child, whose adoption is the subject of this appeal, was born out of wedlock on May 20, 1960, and remained in his natural mother’s custody until October 26, 1962. On this latter date, the natural mother, through the intermediation of a third party, placed the child in the custody of a married couple [the present appellees]. At that time, the natural mother…