Scott v. Department of Health & Rehabilitative Services

This is an appeal by a father from an order permanently terminating his parental rights to his child.

While the father lived in his home state of Alabama, his wife, in a Florida state mental hospital, gave birth on March 2, 1981, to the child in question. H.R.S. im*1231mediately took custody of the child and the father has tried, unsuccessfully, ever since to obtain custody of his daughter from H.R.S. During the first three years, the father made trips from Alabama to Florida, wrote at least three letters and made twenty-three telephone calls, attempting to obtain custody from H.R.S. In July, 1984,…