What legally makes an unfit mother?
The definition of an unfit parent is governed by state laws, which vary by state. A parent may be deemed unfit if they have been abusive, neglected, or failed to provide proper care for the child. A parent with a mental disturbance or addiction to drugs or alcohol may also be found to be an unfit parent. Failure to visit, provide support, or incarceration are other examples of grounds for being found unfit. For example, one state declares the power of the juvenile court to terminate the rights of a natural parent (a) who was “unfit or incompetent by reason of conduct or condition seriously detrimental to the child,” (b) who “abandoned the child,” or (c) who “substantially and continuously or repeatedly refused or failed to give the child proper parental care and protection.” Some state laws provide for a fitness hearing to be held after an adjudication of neglect, dependency or abuse. In such cases, the law may specify a time period after such an adjudication in which the parent may ma
