Delores B. Cardinal McCloskey Children's & Family Services v. Willie B.

There is perhaps no event in life as tragic as the loss of a child. There is perhaps no power of the State as intrusive and as painstakingly difficult to exercise than the power of the State to terminate the constitutionally protected rights of a parent to the companionship, custody, care and management of his or her child. Termination of parentage is permanent and irrevocable and "leaves the parent with no right to visit or communicate with the child, to participate in, or even to know about, any important * * * emotional, or physical development.” (Lassiter v Department of Social Servs.,…