Baynes v. Cowart

Almand, Justice.

Where the mother of a child, to whom custody has been awarded by a divorce decree, dies, the prima facie right of custody automatically inures to the father. Chapin v. Cummings, 191 Ga. 408, 412 (12 S. E. 2d, 312); Girtman v. Girtman, 191 Ga. 173, 181 (11 S. E. 2d, 782); Hill v. Rivers, 200 Ga. 354, 357 (37 S. E. 2d, 386); Raily v. Smith, 202 Ga. 185 (42 S. E. 2d, 491). In such circumstances the father’s right to custody can be lost only by one of the grounds provided under Code §§ 74-108, 74-109, or 74-110; and, unless so lost, the discretion reposed in the trial judge under…