People v. Wanda B.

The circuit court of Cook County found that the respondent, Wanda B. (mother), was an unfit parent based on section 1(D) (q) of the Adoption Act (750 ILCS 50/l(D)(q) (West 1998)). As amended, this section creates a presumption that a parent is unfit based on a conviction for any of the specified crimes. The mother had previously been convicted of aggravated battery of a child, one of the listed crimes. The circuit court subsequently terminated the mother’s parental rights. She appealed but failed to seek a stay of enforcement of the termination order. While the appeal was pending, the…