ÿWPC2! …# VUNa %¯ 0 (µw@Ý4 1 0l@ 0D¬ 0Jð 0T: Ž 0^– 0hô 0r\ 0|Î 0†J 0Ð 1u` U,Õ 0d D3e B˜ 0@µU,õU>!U 6_B)•DC¾ AMU*N!x.™ÇhÌ”4tÈv~<vÓº AOÆÜ 0D¢ D/æ B!˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀäÌÀÀÌÀä0 (ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ „…†‡Dˆ‰DŠD‹ŒDÓ€´½ úÿÿú, ú3|x˜((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ! ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ++++'ÿÿdxd d("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d11117Border 1dd€-2Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÔ€/ÔÝ  ÝÔ€4ÔÔ€4ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€4XÔÌÌò òJune€10,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€4ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó $Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÔ€/ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€0ÔÔ€0ôÔThe€trial€court€delayed€further€action€on€the€adoption€petition€pendingÏour€review.Ì ûÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÔ€/ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€0ÔÔ€0ôÔMs.€McDonald€is€on€a€work€release€program.Ì ^Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÔ€/ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€0ÔÔ€0ôÔThe€trial€judge€had€earlier€found€that€the€biological€father€hadÏabandoned€his€parental€rights.€€No€appeal€was€taken€from€that€determination.Ì ŠÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÔ€/ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€0ÔÔ€0ôÔThis€case€was€decided€before€the€effective€date€of€the€new€adoptionÏcode.€€òòSeeóó€Chapter€532,€Public€Acts€of€1995.€€ð ðAbandonmentðð€is€now€defined€atÏT.C.A.€ðð€36„1„102(1)(A).Ì jÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÔ€/ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€0ÔÔ€0ôÔThe€petition€for€adoption€was€filed€February€15,€1994.€€It€isÏreasonable€to€assume€that€the€meeting€at€the€prison€occurred€before€theÏpetition€was€filed.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€#ÔÓ&€..X„d&ÓÑ#€..Xd#ÑÔ€/ÔÝ  ÝÑ P ÑÔ€0ÔÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Ñ7€µXXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌÌÌÌœMIKE€WILSON›€and€DENISE€œWILSON,›€œ€€›€)€C/A€NO.€œ03A01›„9509„CV„00332Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)€œMcMINN›€COUNTY€CIRCUIT€COURTÌà àà àPlaintiffs„Appellees,€€€)ÌÙ€€ÙœßL€352;+'h|` Å `€€Lß›à àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)ÌTAMMY€œMcDONALD›,à àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àDefendant„Appellant,€€€€œ)€HONORABLEÏEARLE€G.€MURPHY,›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)€œJUDGE›Ìandà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)ÌJAMES€œALLOWAY›,à àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àDefendant.à àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€)ÌIN€RE:€œADOPTION›€OFà àœà à›à à€€€€)Ìà à€€SHAWN€RUSSELL€LANE€œMcDONALD)€AFFIRMED€AND€REMANDED›ÌÌÌÌÌDEBRA€L.€HOUSE€of€SOUTHEAST€TENNESSEE€LEGAL€SERVICES,€Cleveland,Ïfor€AppellantÌÌœJERRI›€S.€BRYANT€of€CARTER,€œHARROD›€&€CUNNINGHAM,€Athens,€forÏAppelleesÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÌððà0 àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àœSusano›,€J.ÇÓÓà àà àIn€this€case,€Mike€Wilson€and€his€wife,€Denise€Wilson,Ïfiled€a€petition€seeking€to€adopt€Shawn€Russell€Lane€McDonaldÏ(Shawn)€(DOB:€April€27,€1993).€€In€their€petition,€they€allegedÏthat€the€defendant€Tammy€McDonald,€the€childððs€biological€mother,Ïhad€abandoned€her€parental€rights.€€Following€a€bench€trial€onÏJune€26,€1995,€the€trial€judge€found€that€Ms.€McDonald€hadÏœabandoned›€all€œparental€rights›€with€respect€to€Shawn.€€We€grantedÏMs.€McDonaldððs€œrequest›€for€an€interlocutory€appeal× ƒ6 ××  ×€pursuant€toÏRule€9,€œT.R.A.P.›,€to€consider€her€argument€that€her€conduct€wasÏnot€such€as€to€ð ðevince[]€a€settled€purpose€to€forego€all€parentalÏduties€and€relinquish€all€parental€claimsðð€as€that€concept€isÏdefined€and€explained€in€the€case€of€òòò òEx€Parte€Wolfendenó óóóÏ(òòò òWolfendenó óóó),€349€S.W.2d€713€(Tenn.€App.€1959)€and€its€progeny.ÌÌà àà àOur€review€is€òòde€novoóó;€however,€the€record€comes€to€usÏaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€as€to€the€trialÏcourtððs€factually„driven€determinations.€€We€must€honor€thisÏpresumption€unless€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€trialÏcourtððs€factual€findings.€€Rule€13(d),€T.R.A.P.€€There€is€noÏpresumption€of€correctness€as€to€the€lower€courtððs€conclusions€ofÍlaw.€€ò òòòAdams€v.€Dean€Roofing€Co.,€Inc.óóó ó,€715€S.W.2d€341,€343Ï(Tenn.€App.€1986).̜Ǜà@ àI.€€òòFacts€and€Procedural€HistoryóóÌÌà àà àMs.€McDonald€is€in€the€custody€of€the€Department€ofÏCorrections.€€She€is€presently€serving€an€eight€year€œsentence›€atÏthe€Chattanooga€Community€Service€Center× ƒ7 ××  ×€as€a€result€of€œforgery›Ïconvictions€in€the€Bradley€County€Criminal€Court.€€After€sheÏcommenced€her€present€œterm›€of€incarceration,€she€gave€birth€to€herÏœson,›€Shawn.€€At€the€œtime€of€his€birth,›€she€was€confined€at€theÏTennessee€Prison€for€Women€in€Davidson€County.€€She€has€been€inÏprison€continuously€œsince›€the€birth€of€her€child.ÌÌà àà àThis€is€the€third€time€that€Ms.€McDonald€has€beenÏincarcerated.€€She€served€earlier€periods€of€confinement€fromÏNovember€14,€1986,€to€December€9,€1987,€and€from€September€7,Ï1988,€to€September€25,€1990.€€All€of€her€convictions€œwere›€forÏforgery€or€credit€card€fraud.€€At€œthe›€hearing€below,€Ms.€McDonaldÏtestified€œby›€œdeposition›€that€she€was€due€for€a€parole€hearing€inÏAugust€or€September,€1995.ÌÌà àà àThe€defendant€œis›€32€years€œold.€€Apparently,€she€hasÏnever€been€married.›€€She€testified€that€she€became€pregnant€withÍShawn€in€August,€1992,€at€a€time€when€she€was€on€parole€followingÏher€second€period€of€incarceration.€€After€her€parole€was€revokedÏbecause€of€forgeries€in€œthe€May›€„€July,€œ1992€time€frame,›€she€wasÏagain€œimprisoned.€€Her€present€confinement€apparently›€œcommenced›€onÏNovember€œ17,›€1992.€€Shawn€was€born€œin€a€Nashville€hospital€on›ÏApril€27,€œ1993.›€€She€allowed€œhim›€to€go€home€from€the€hospital€withÏBeatrice€Lindstrom,€of€Cleveland,€a€person€she€had€only€recentlyÏmet€at€the€prison.€€œAccording€to€Ms.€McDonald,€Ms.›€Lindstrom€œis€ð ðaÏlady€that€came€up€to€the€jail€to€do€church€services.ðð›ÌÌà àà àMs.€Lindstrom€brought€Shawn€to€the€prison€on€May€15,Ï1993.€€This€is€the€only€time,€prior€to€early€1994,€that€Ms.ÏMcDonald€visited€with€her€son;€but€she€was€in€regular€phoneÏcontact€with€Ms.€Lindstrom.ÌÌà àà àAfter€Shawn€was€with€Ms.€Lindstrom€for€two€months,€Ms.ÏLindstrom€decided€that€she€could€not€care€for€him.€€With€Ms.ÏMcDonaldððs€knowledge€and€œapparent€consent,›€Shawn€was€deliveredÏover€to€Mr.€and€Mrs.€œAlloway›,€also€of€Cleveland,€the€childððsÏpaternal€grandparents.€€This€arrangement€was€also€short„lived.€ÏAfter€only€four€months,€the€œAlloways›€decided€they€could€not€keepÏthe€baby.€€At€this€juncture,€the€Wilsons€entered€the€picture.ÌÌà àà àThe€Wilsons€œlive›€in€œEtowah›.€€They€œare›€unable€to€haveÏchildren.€€When€they€learned€that€the€œAlloways›€had€a€boy„„Shawn„„for€whom€they€could€not€care,€they€persuaded€them€to€deliver€himÏover€to€their€care.€€Within€a€few€days,€the€Wilsons€petitioned€forÏœand›€received€an€order€of€temporary€custody€œfrom›€the€œMcMinn›€CountyÏJuvenile€Court.€€The€order€was€entered€October€18,€1993.€€œAt€thatÏtime,€Ms.€McDonald€was€unaware€of€the›€Wilsonsðð€œinvolvement.›ÌÌà àà àShortly€after€getting€Shawn,€the€Wilsons€made€a€decisionÏto€seek€his€adoption.€€They€sent€a€letter€to€Ms.€McDonaldÏexpressing€their€interest€in€adopting€Shawn€and€asking€for€herÏconsent.€€Ms.€McDonald€received€œthe›€letter€on€October€28,€1993,Ïsome€ten€days€after€the€entry€of€the€order€of€temporary€custody.€ÏThis€is€the€first€that€she€knew€œShawn›€was€œwith›€the€Wilsons.ÌÌà àà àMs.€McDonald€contacted€the€Wilsons€and€agreed€to€meetÏthem€at€the€prison€to€discuss€their€request.€€She€asked€that€theyÏbring€Shawn€with€them.€€In€early€1994,€the€Wilsons,€along€withÏShawn,€œcame›€to€œthe€prison›€and€met€with€Ms.€McDonald.€€She€told€theÏWilsons€that€she€thought€Shawn€was€where€he€needed€to€be.€€SheÏagreed€to€consider€their€request€that€she€consent€to€ShawnððsÍadoption.€€This€visit€was€the€last€time€there€was€œcontact›€of€anyÏkind€between€Ms.€McDonald€and€the€Wilsons.€€It€was€also€the€lastÏtime€Ms.€McDonald€œsaw›€or€talked€to€her€son.ÌÌà àà àWhen€the€Wilsons€did€not€hear€from€Ms.€McDonald,€theyÏdecided€to€file€a€petition€to€adopt€Shawn.€€This€they€did€onÏFebruary€15,€1994,€alleging€that€Shawnððs€mother€had€abandoned€him.€ÏThe€defendant€responded€by€denying€abandonment€and€controvertingÏthe€Wilsonsðð€right€to€adopt€Shawn.€€After€a€non„jury€hearing,€theÏtrial€œjudge›€found€an€abandonmentœ× ƒ8 ××  ×›,€œwhich€he€decreed›€œin›€an€orderÏentered€July€20,€œ1995.€€This›€appeal€œfollowed.›ÌÌà àà àShawn€is€the€second€child€born€to€Ms.€McDonald€œin›Ïconfinement.€€Her€middle€child,€Daniel,€was€born€in€1988.€€œHeÏlives€with€his›€œfather€who€is€his€legal€custodian.›€€Ms.€McDonaldÏœhas›€not€seen€œDaniel›€since€1990,€and€does€not€speak€with€him€byÏphone.€€Her€oldest€child,€Brandon,€lives€in€Cleveland,€Tennessee,Ïwith€œMs.€McDonaldððs€parents›€who€are€his€legal€custodians.€€SheÏtalks€to€Brandon€œweekly;€however,€he€has€not€visited€his€motherÏduring›€her€current€period€of€incarceration.ÌÌà@ àII.€€œòòThe€Lawóó›ÌÌà àà àWhen€an€adoption€petition€alleges€that€a€biologicalÏparent€has€abandoned€his€or€her€child,€the€test€of€abandonmentœ× ƒ9 ××  ×›€isÏwhether€ð ðany€conduct€on€the€part€of€the€parent€.€.€.€evinces€aÏsettled€purpose€to€forego€all€parental€duties€and€relinquish€allÏparental€claims€to€the€childðð€sought€to€be€adopted.€€òòò òWolfendenó óóó,Ï349€S.W.2d€713,€714€(Tenn.€App.€1959).€€òòSee€also€ò òAdoption€ofÏBowling€v.€Bowlingó óóó,€631€S.W.2d€386,€389€(Tenn.€1982);€òòò òœKoivu›€v.ÏIrwinó óóó,€721€S.W.2d€803,€807€(Tenn.€App.€1986);€òòò òœFancher›€v.€Mannó óóó,Ï432€S.W.2d€63,€66€(Tenn.€App.€œ1968).€›€ð ðTo€[show€abandonment]€we€doÏnot€necessarily€look€to€the€protestations€of€affections€andÏintentions€expressed€by€the€natural€parent€but€must€look€at€theÏpast€course€of€conduct.ðð€€òòò òœFancher›ó óóó,€432€S.W.2d€at€65.€€òòSee€alsoÏò òœKoivu›ó óóó,€721€S.W.2d€at€807.€€In€order€to€warrant€the€forfeiture€ofÏparental€rights€and€obligations,€a€court€must€find€ð ða€consciousÏdisregard€or€indifference€to€the€parental€obligations.ðð€€òòIdóó.ÌÌà àà àAn€abandonment€must€be€shown€by€clear€and€convincingÏevidence.€€òòId;€ò òœFancher›ó óóó,€432€S.W.2d€at€66;€òòò òœOððDaniel›€v.€Messieróóó ó,Ï905€S.W.2d€182,€187€(Tenn.€App.€1995).€€The€concept€of€clear€andÏconvincing€evidence€is€examined€in€the€ò òòòœOððDaniel›óóó ó€case:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àœClear›€and€convincing€evidence€eliminates€anyÏserious€or€substantial€doubt€concerning€theÏcorrectness€of€the€conclusions€to€be€drawnÏfrom€the€evidence.€[citation€omitted]€ItÏshould€produce€in€the€fact„finderððs€mind€aÏfirm€belief€or€conviction€with€regard€to€theÏtruth€of€the€allegations€sought€to€beÏestablished.€[citation€omitted].ÌÌÌÌÓÓòòIdóó.€at€188.€€There€are€a€number€of€matters€œconsidered€by€courts›€œin›Ïdeciding€whether€an€abandonment€has€occurred:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 à.€.€.€the€courts€consider€the€followingÏmatters€when€determining€whether€anÏabandonment€has€occurred:€(1)€the€parentððsÏability€to€support€the€child;€(2)€the€amountÏof€support€the€parent€has€provided€to€theÏchild;€(3)€the€extent€and€nature€of€theÏcontact€between€the€parent€and€the€child;€(4)Ïthe€frequency€of€gifts€on€special€occasions;Ï(5)€whether€the€parent€voluntarilyÏrelinquished€custody€of€the€child;€(6)€theÏlength€of€time€the€child€has€been€separatedÏfrom€the€parent;€and€(7)€the€home€environmentÏand€conduct€of€the€parent€prior€to€the€removalÏof€the€child.€€œ(citation›€omitted).€€No€singleÏfactor€is€controlling.€€Abandonment€inquiriesÏare€heavily€fact„oriented,€so€the€courts€mayÏconsider€any€fact€that€assists€in€decidingÍwhether€the€parentððs€conduct€demonstrates€aÏconscious€or€willful€disregard€of€all€of€hisÏor€her€parental€duties.€€œ(citation›€omitted).ÌÌÌÌÓÓòòIdóó.€at€œ187.€€In›€evaluating€a€parentððs€conduct€to€determine€whetherÏhe€or€she€has€abandoned€œparental›€rights,€it€is€important€toÏremember€that€the€concept€of€abandonment€is€akin€to€consent€toÏadoption:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 à.€.€.€consent€of€a€parent€to€the€adoption€ofÏhis€[or€her]€child€could€be€inferred€from€theÏparentððs€actual€abandonment€of€the€child€evenÏthough€the€statute€expressly€œrequire[s›]€theÏparentððs€written€consent.ÌÌÌÌÓÓòòò òAdoption€of€Bowlingó óóó,€631€S.W.2d€at€389.€€òòSee€alsoò ò€œWolfenden›ó óóó,Ï349€S.W.2d€at€714€(ð ð.€.€.€consent€would€be€inferred€from€an€actualÏabandonment,€.€.€.ðð).ÌÌà@ àIII.€€òòAnalysisóóÌÌà àà àThe€defendant€œhas›€been€in€the€custody€of€the€stateÏcontinuously€since€Shawn€was€born.€€œWithout€question,€her›Ïincarceration€limited€her€ability€to€exercise€her€parental€rightsÏand€responsibilities.€€For€example,€she€œhas›€not€contributedÍfinancially€to€the€support€of€her€child;€but€the€evidence€reflectsÏthat€she€œis›€only€paid€two€dollars€a€day€œin€her›€work€releaseÏœprogram.€€She€has€been€in€that€program€since€December›€19,€1994.€ÏThere€œis›€no€evidence€œin€the€record€to›€indicate€that€she€had€accessÏto€any€income€œin€prison€prior›€to€that€date.€€We€do€not€agree€withÏthe€appellees€that€her€failure€to€contribute€financially€toÏShawnððs€care€can€be€œinterpreted€as€an€act€of›€abandonment€under€theÏcircumstances€of€this€case.€€òòœCf›.€€ò òœOððDaniel›,ó óóó€905€S.W.2d€at€188.€Ï(ð ð.€.€.€we€have€held€that€a€parentððs€failure€to€support€a€childÏwill€not€amount€to€abandonment€when€the€ððparent€is€financiallyÏunable€to€render€financial€support,ðððð€œquoting›€from€òòò òPierce€v.ÏœBechtold›ó óóó,€448€œS.W.2d›€425,€429€(Tenn.€App.€1969)).ÌÌà àà àThe€defendant,€because€of€her€confinement,€œwas›€unable€toÏkeep€her€child€with€her€or€visit€him€at€the€œWilsonsðð;›€œhowever,Ïthis›€does€not€mean€that€she€was€œtotally€without€the€ability€to›Ïexercise€her€parental€rights€and€responsibilities.€€What€œhas›€sheÏdone€since€the€Wilsonsðð€visit€to€the€prison€in€early€1994€toÏdemonstrate€that€she€is€the€mother€of€Shawn?€€The€answer€isÏœð ðnothing.ð𛀀During€the€some€19€months€from€January,€1994× ƒ: ××  ×,€to€theÍdate€of€the€hearing,€June€26,€1995,€Ms.€McDonald€did€not€call€theÏœWilsons;›€she€did€not€write€them;€she€did€not€attempt€to€have€themÏbring€Shawn€to€the€prison€for€a€visit;€and€she€did€not€send€œherÏson€cards›€or€presents€on€his€birthday,€œor€at€Christmas›€œand›€otherÏspecial€times.€€She€did€nothing€to€indicate€that€she€was€theÏmother€of€this€young€boy.ÌÌà àà àIn€defending€her€inaction,€the€defendant€œclaims›€that€sheÏdid€not€know€how€to€get€in€touch€with€the€Wilsons.€€We€find€thisÏhard€to€believe.€€She€admitted€that€she€received€a€letter€fromÏthem€in€October,€1993.€€She€acknowledged€that€she€had€reached€themÏin€response€to€that€letter.€€She€admitted€that€she€œhad€had›€contactÏwith€Ms.€œLindstrom,›€who€turned€Shawn€over€to€the€œAlloways,›€who€inÏturn€had€delivered€the€child€to€the€Wilsons.€€She€knew€œwhere€theÏAlloways€lived.›€€œHer€parents€lived€in€the€same€county.€€Yet,€she›Ïmade€no€effort€to€utilize€the€contacts€she€œhad›€with€others€toÏreach€the€Wilsons€so€she€could€find€out€how€her€son€wasÏprogressing,€physically,€emotionally,€spiritually,€and€otherwise.ÌÌà àà àFor€19€months,€she€acted€as€if€she€did€not€have€a€sonÏnamed€Shawn€while€others€saw€to€his€housing,€nourishment,€andÏgeneral€care.€€œShe€showed€no€interest€in€him.€€During›€this€sameÍtime,€she€spoke€to€her€oldest€child€on€a€weekly€basis.€€SheÏapparently€made€a€conscious€decision€to€ignore€Shawn€as€she€œhas›Ïignored€her€middle€child€since€1990.ÌÌà àà àThere€is€clear€and€convincing€evidence€in€the€recordÏbefore€us€that€Ms.€McDonald,€during€these€19€months,€exhibited€aÏconscious€disregard€or€indifference€to€her€parental€obligations.€ÏWe€believe€her€conduct€shows,€œclearly›€and€convincingly,€that€sheÏformed€an€intent€ð ðto€forego€all€parental€duties€and€relinquish€allÏparental€claims€toðð€Shawn.ÌÌà àà àThe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€trialÏcourtððs€judgment.€€It€is,€accordingly,€affirmed.€€Costs€on€appealÏare€taxed€to€the€appellant.€€This€case€is€remanded€for€furtherÏproceedings€in€accordance€with€this€opinion.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àCharles€D.€œSusano›,€Jr.,€J.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌHouston€M.€œGoddard›,€P.€J.ÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌœHerschel›€P.€Franks,€J.à àà à