Drake v. Drake

HERSEY, Judge.

The natural mother appeals that portion of a judgment of final dissolution of marriage which awards custody of her minor child to relatives of the husband. It is true that a natural parent has a God-given right to have and enjoy the custody, fellowship and companionship of his or her child. So, too, does the child have rights. On balance, it is the child’s rights which must prevail in child custody cases. Cone v. Cone, 62 So.2d 907 (Fla.1953). The trial court found that the best interests of the child were served by continuing custody in the husband’s relatives. This choice of…