What Kind of Crackhead Has an "Estate"?

The Herald deserves congratulations for a fascinating story about a Broward County girl removed from a home of drug-addicted parents who is now seeking a legal relationship after those parents' deaths, based on the possibility of inheriting money from the estate.But it does not explain the bizarre fact that the...

By Thomas Francis

July 28, 2009

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The Herald deserves congratulations for a fascinating story about a Broward County girl removed from a home of drug-addicted parents who is now seeking a legal relationship after those parents' deaths, based on the possibility of inheriting money from the estate.

But it does not explain the bizarre fact that the father -- a crack addict -- has an estate, period. Demographically speaking, crackheads are not known for their investment acumen, nor for being judicious about stowing away a portion of their income for their child's future.

And there seems to be no evidence that these particular crack addicts were any different. Rather, the article suggests that the potential wealth comes from a wrongful death suit that can be filed by the father's estate. Which only begs another question: How can a person who ingests an ultra-addictive, health-annihilating illegal drug have a credible claim for wrongful death?

Then again, you have to hope it's a strong case, if only for the sake of the child, who due to her parents' habits must try to overcome a turbulent youth to become a stable, productive adult.

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