I've been told some white lies in this regard before. "The father passed away" - when, in reality, he was alive and well, and certainly a tyrant. I don't think this woman knew the significance of the tiny lie in this case. If the father of the child is deceased, you would need evidence of such (a death certificate, for example), which would be compared to the father's name on the child's birth certificate. In this case, it's certainly possible to have a good outcome. If the father is alive and doesn't give permission, the chances are very low of success, and I don't want to waste anyone's time, especially with a woman who has already had difficulties.