1940

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 296

(1)  THE CHILD IS ABANDONED AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION
(B) OF THIS SECTION;

(2)  IN A PRIOR JUVENILE PROCEEDING, THE CHILD HAS
BEEN ADJUDICATED TO BE A CHILD IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE, A NEGLECTED
CHILD, AN ABUSED CHILD, OR A DEPENDENT CHILD; OR

(3)  THE FOLLOWING SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES EXIST:

(I)  THE CHILD HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY OUT OF THE
CUSTODY OF THE NATURAL PARENT AND IN THE CUSTODY OF A CHILD
PLACEMENT AGENCY FOR AT LEAST 1 YEAR;

(II)  THE CONDITIONS THAT LED TO THE SEPARATION
FROM THE NATURAL PARENT STILL EXIST OR SIMILAR CONDITIONS OF A
POTENTIALLY HARMFUL NATURE STILL EXIST;

(III)  THERE IS LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THOSE
CONDITIONS WILL BE REMEDIED AT AN EARLY DATE SO THAT THE CHILD
CAN BE RETURNED TO THE NATURAL PARENT IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE;
AND

(IV)  A CONTINUATION OF THE  RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE NATURAL PARENT AND THE CHILD WOULD DIMINISH GREATLY THE
CHILD'S PROSPECTS FOR EARLY INTEGRATION INTO A STABLE AND
PERMANENT FAMILY.

(B)  ABANDONMENT.

THE COURT MAY FIND THAT A CHILD IS ABANDONED FOR PURPOSES OF
THIS SECTION IF, AFTER A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION BY THE CHILD
PLACEMENT AGENCY, THE COURT FINDS THAT:

(1)  THE IDENTITY OF THE CHILD'S NATURAL PARENTS IS
UNKNOWN; AND

(2)  NO ONE HAS CLAIMED TO BE THE CHILD'S NATURAL
PARENT WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF THE ALLEGED ABANDONMENT OF THE CHILD.

(C)  REQUIRED CONSIDERATIONS.

IN DETERMINING WHETHER IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
CHILD TO TERMINATE A NATURAL PARENT'S RIGHTS AS TO THE CHILD IN
ANY CASE, EXCEPT THE CASE OF AN ABANDONED CHILD, THE COURT SHALL
CONSIDER:

(1)  THE TIMELINESS, NATURE, AND EXTENT OF THE
SERVICES OFFERED BY THE CHILD PLACEMENT AGENCY TO FACILITATE
REUNION OF THE CHILD WITH THE NATURAL PARENT;

(2)  ANY SOCIAL SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATURAL
PARENT AND THE CHILD PLACEMENT AGENCY, AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH
ALL PARTIES HAVE FULFILLED THEIR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE AGREEMENT;