In re S.S.

¶1 The natural father of J.C. appeals from the order terminating his parental rights entered by the Eighth Judicial District Court, Cascade County. We reverse.

¶2 The issue is whether the District Court erred in terminating the father’s parental rights to J.C. based on abandonment.

BACKGROUND

¶3 In April of 1998, the District Court granted the Department of Public Health and Human Services (Department) protective custody of J.C.’s older half-siblings, S.S. and K.C., due to neglect and, in addition, possible physical abuse by the mother’s boyfriend. When J.C. was born in November of 1998, she and…