Berrien v. Greene County Department of Public Welfare

In this appeal we are concerned with the custody of an infant daughter, born out of wedlock on September 21, 1967, to Merle S. Berrien and John D. Hess.

This litigation was initiated on March 4, 1971, when Hess filed a petition in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court of Greene County (the juvenile court) seeking custody of the child and alleging that Berrien, the mother, was neglecting and abusing her. By order entered by the juvenile court on April 8, 1971, custody was awarded to the mother “on a probationary period of indeterminate length, to make certain that said natural mother is…