Ex-Adoptive Mother Must Pay Child Support

New York's highest court ruled yesterday that an adoptive mother who surrendered the child to the Department of Social Services is required to pay child support until the child is 21. Dawn Ward adopted the child when he was 3 years old and just 25 pounds. The child's emotional and mental development lagged and he became violent and self-destructive in day care. Ms. Ward relinquished her rights to the child when he became too much for her to handle, but the county Social Services department did not provide adequate services to help her deal with the child nor did it tell her that she would be required to continue child support payments. While the Court of Appeals was sympathetic to her plight, the law requires her to continue to financially support the child.