Raising a child requires maturity, stability, sensibility and some degree of selflessness; but to some people that is simply too much to ask. While undoubtedly children deserve all of these things from their parents in order to get the most out of life, there are many who never quite felt the love from the people who created them. Of course, no parent is perfect and every one of us is capable of making their fair share of mistakes along the way, but to completely relinquish all responsibility is nothing more than a careless cop-out. No matter how old they are, people of all ages still look to their parents for guidance and support. The harsh reality is that some have had unfortunate circumstances surrounding their upbringing that have left them feeling deserted, alone, and unwanted. Nobody ever said that parenting would be easy, but there should be no second thoughts when it comes to committing to be an active member of your children's lives.

While there have been many celebrities who have spoken about being abandoned by their mother or father, there are also a good number of famous faces who are also guilty of abandoning their kids as well. Sure, they may try to make excuses for their absence or attempt to cover-up their lack of involvement all together in order to salvage their reputation, but there are only so many times someone can deny the truth before it finally catches with to them.

While there's no legitimate reason why someone would completely abandon their child, these stars have left their children behind in order to pursue fame, start new families or even to live life without any strings attached. When it comes to being parents, these stars don't know the first thing about how to treat their own children. Here are 15 celebs who abandoned their kids.

15 Patti Mallette Is Done With Bieber's Antics

After giving birth to Justin Bieber at the tender age of seventeen, Patti Mallette and her future superstar son undoubtedly did some growing up together that caused them to forge a strong bond. Early in his career, Justin often spoke highly of his mother and credited their tight-knit relationship as one of the reasons behind his success, but the singer’s fame reached an all-time high the relationship between the two seemingly soured. Everyone knows that Bieber hit a very public rough patch a few years back that consisted of highly-publicized bad behavior and several run-ins with the law.

Since Justin was legally old enough to make his own decisions, Patti may have grown frustrated with her son’s lack of responsibility and significantly distanced herself from him during his downward spiral. Although she played a significant role in raising Justin as a single parent, Mallette decided to disassociate from her only child in favor of living a more quiet life outside of the limelight. Justin has openly admitted that the current relationship between he and his mother is “pretty nonexisting” and that the matriarch relocated to Hawaii to be far away from her son’s Hollywood homestead.

14 50 Cent Mercilessly Disowned His Son

Curtis Jackson, better known by his stage name 50 Cent, may have engaged in a couple of feuds during his lifetime, but we can’t imagine any being more brutal than the tension between him and his own son, Marquise. The rapper publicly took aim at his oldest son on social media in a string of toxic tweets that were too cruel for any parent to post about their child. Jackson infamously disowned his son in front of the whole world by saying, “I don’t have a son anymore. I will have nothing to do with you. Don’t text me ever again.” Of course, that was just the tip of the iceberg for 50 and his hateful behavior toward his own offspring. The rapper not only abandoned his first-born, he has also continued to write mean and hurtful cheap shots about Marquise and his mother. In the years since their public falling out, the two have yet to make amends and if it were up to Jackson he would continue to have nothing to do with his son for many years to come. There are all kinds of deadbeat dads out there, but 50 Cent certainly has proven to be the lowest of the low.

13 Nancy Dow Gave Jennifer The Ultimate Betrayal

She may be one of the biggest stars on the planet, but even that wasn’t enough to stop Jennifer Aniston’s mother Nancy Dow from leaving her high and dry. The duo appeared to have an often rocky relationship for most of Aniston’s life, but things got increasingly worse when Nancy wrote a tell-all book called From Mother and Daughter To Friends: A Memoir. Aniston surely felt that her own mother was exploiting her in hopes of finding further fame and fortune, while the actress has always been open about the fact that she and Dow have always butted heads. Five years prior to her death, Nancy outright abandoned her daughter all together, making it obvious that she still harbored some hard feelings towards her offspring for reasons unbeknownst to the public. Jennifer didn’t invite her estranged mother to her wedding to Brad Pitt in 2000 but it had been widely reported that she continued to pay her mother’s bills even though the two weren’t on speaking terms. To add insult to injury, Dow took one final jab at Jennifer in a major way…by completely excluding her from her will. After many years apart, Nancy bestowed all of her assets to another relative, leaving Jennifer feeling the harsh reality about her contentious relationship with her mother long after she was gone.

12 John Barrymore Never Acted As A Father To Drew

It’s rather common knowledge that Drew Barrymore had anything but a picturesque childhood, as her early years were full of troubling moments fueled by drugs and abandonment. While many are aware that Drew’s mother, Jaid, raised the star up until she emancipated herself as a teen, the less talked about part of Drew’s upbringing is that her father was noticeably absent. John Barrymore, who was also an actor himself, decided to void himself of all responsibility when it came to his obligations as a father. Barrymore selfishly left Drew’s mother while she was pregnant and never really played a proper role in his daughter’s life. Once Drew was old enough to become a mother herself, she reflected back on her father’s negligence and admitted that she will never understand how he could walk away from his child so easily. Speaking to the press, Drew revealed, “My parents split up before I was born and my dad was just never capable of being a father”. The actress further explained her feelings on never knowing what it was like to have a father, stating, “It’s shocking to me that someone can make that choice…for some people, showing up is just not possible and that is incredibly frustrating”. Fortunately, Drew was able to overcome many of the hardships she was faced with as a young girl and she understands the importance of putting her own kids first due to her father’s nonexistent involvement in her own life.

11 Caitlyn Jenner Has Four Forgotten Children

Aside from being a one-time world class Olympian, Caitlyn Jenner has become best known for her reality TV stardom and for being an outspoken member of the infamous Kardashian/Jenner family. Long before she ever went public with her desire to transition, Caitlyn was a dedicated husband to Kris Jenner and a devoted step-father to her four children from her previous marriage. Of course, the world knows those four as stars Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, and Rob Kardashian, but to Jenner they were simply family.

While Cait received a lot of credit for raising Kris’ kids as if they were biologically hers, the former athlete already had fathered four children from previous relationships that were virtually forgotten about. Caitlyn’s first marriage produced Burt and Cassandra Jenner while the star’s second union birthed sons Brandon and Brody. Although Cait has managed to develop somewhat of a relationship with her four children, she had admitted that she was an inept parent to them in the past.

Likewise, Jenner’s offspring have made it abundantly clear that their biological dad was busy catering to the Kardashians, they were left longing for a father figure in their lives. Several of Jenner’s children have confessed to feeling abandoned by their father’s decisions to start a new family that didn’t include them.

10 Dean McDermott Left His Family For His Mistress

Aside from his work as a struggling actor in a handful of Lifetime movies and a few hosting gigs to his credit, Dean McDermott is probably best known for his scandalous romance with Tori Spelling that resulted in him leaving his wife and children in Canada in favor of a life in Hollywood with his new love interest. After thirteen years of marriage to Mary Jo Eustace, McDermott decided to throw it all away and leave his family high and dry. At the time, the couple was parents to a son named Jack and they were also in the process of adopting a daughter named Lola amidst Dean’s torrid affair. Once Dean decided to ditch his wife and kids, he also made the decision to terminate his rights as a parent to Lola, leaving his ex-wife to be a single mother to two children. Although Dean received split custody of his son, his big move to California took a toll on his relationship with him and he was accused of putting Spelling and their other children above all else. Over the years, Mary Jo has been quite vocal about Dean’s minimal involvement in their son’s life, and she insists that both he and his new wife have treated Jack poorly while Dean has failed to pony-up multiple years’ worth of unpaid child support.

9 Jackie Siegal Only Had Kids For The Perks

As a well-known socialite and reality star, Jackie Siegel, more commonly known as the self-proclaimed “Queen of Versailles” lives for the glitz and glamour that comes with being famous. Jackie married David Siegel, a well-to-do billionaire who founded a large timeshare community in Florida. The couple married in 2000 and over the course of nine years they welcomed eight children, including one adopted daughter and another child from a previous relationship.

The Siegel family became household names when they appeared on a controversial episode of Wife Swap that documented their lavish yet peculiar way of life. Jackie told the cameras that her husband gifted her with expensive items every time she gave him a child, so she continuously got pregnant in order to cash in on her big payout. While there’s not much wrong with a married couple having a whole lot of children, the real problem was that Jackie wasn’t the one taking care of them. The couple employed the help of multiple nannies to basically raise their children and the show highlighted the fact that they rarely saw their at all.

While Jackie faced some serious backlash for her neglectful approach at parenting, she insisted that her children were happy. However, that all changed last year when her eighteen year old daughter, Victoria, died from a suspected drug overdose while Jackie was off vacationing in Las Vegas. Following the gruesome discovery, nannies who worked for the family spoke to the tabloids about how Jackie practically abandoned her children in order to live the high life and travel all over the world on her own terms. It’s pretty obvious that some people have no business having children, and Jackie Siegel appears to be one of them.

8 Tom Cruise Chose Scientology Over Suri

Even though Tom Cruise became a father long before he ever met Katie Holmes (he has two adopted children with ex-wife Nicole Kidman), the whole world nearly spiraled into a frenzy when he had his first biological child in 2006. Since then, Suri Cruise has been a fixture in world of entertainment and Tom’s relationship with her has been a hot topic in the press. When Cruise and Holmes we’re together, everything appeared to be going smoothly for the family of three.

Once the couple suddenly decided to split rumors began to swirl about who would ultimately get custody of the pair’s daughter. Of course, many believe that Cruise’s heavy involvement with Scientology is a main reason why he and Katie divorced, and it’s very likely the same reason why Tom has virtually abandoned his daughter all together. When Holmes was awarded primary physical custody of the girl in 2012, Cruise seemingly eliminated himself for her life all together. To this day, there have been numerous reports that Tom hasn’t seen his daughter in almost five years, Pretty much proving that he chose Scientology over his obligation as a parent.

7 Bill Hudson Even Tried To Take Back His Last Name

As the children of famed actress Goldie Hawn, Kate and Oliver Hudson are all too familiar with growing up in the limelight. While there are obviously tons of good things that came along with their childhood, the siblings shared the unfortunate reality that their biological father walked out on them when they were just little kids. Once Bill Hudson divorced his wife and left his two children in 1982, Kate and Oliver were ultimately raised by Goldie and her longtime lover, Kurt Russell. There’s no denying that Kate and Oliver treat Kurt as their go-to father figure because for the majority of their lives he’s been the only father they’ve ever known. While it was never a secret that Bill Hudson was not involved in the lives of his son and daughter, Oliver Hudson made his feelings on the matter abundantly clear when he posted a throwback photo of himself, Kate, and Bill to social media with the caption “Happy Abandonment Day”. The sassy snapshot went viral and naturally, Bill finally figured that it would be convenient to speak up about his lack of involvement as a parent. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Bill publicly shamed and disowned the pair, telling the press that “they’re dead to me” while demanding that they both stop using the “Hudson” surname. While Bill’s words were malicious to say the least, neither Kate nor Oliver were one bit surprised by his public resignation as a father because he had never been one in the first place.

6 Erika Girardi Chose Money Over Motherhood

As a prominent cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Erika Girardi often showcases her glamorous life of wealth and opulence to millions of viewers every week. While Erika may be living in the lap of luxury these days, the journey to get a Bentley and a Beverly Hills zip code didn’t come without making some major sacrifices. The reality star found her fortune when she married affluent attorney Tom Girardi after only a year of dating. While Erika was busy rubbing elbows with the rich and famous out in LA, few might realize that she actually left her young son behind in order to live the life she always dreamed of. When she was only eighteen, Erika promptly New York City, got married and had a baby.

Only a few short years later, Erika and her husband divorced and she decided to move to LA on her own while her son stayed in his father’s custody. During a recent interview, the star revealed, “I had my son there (NYC) and then I moved here (L.A.), when he was about three”. Erika also revealed that her ex had “no choice” but to let her move across the country while he cared for their son Tommy, but what’s even more bizarre was that when she re-married in 1999 her son, who would have been seven at the time wasn’t even present for the big day.

According to a number of reports, Erika was an absentee mother for the majority of her son’s life in order to pursue a life of “gold-digging.” The star’s son didn’t end up moving to L.A until 2014 where he decided to become a police officer. Despite being totally unavailable to her only child for a number of years, Erika insists that these days her adult son lives with her and her husband in their multi-million dollar mansion in Beverly Hills.

5 Michael Lohan Was Always A Negative Influence

Michael Lohan has a notoriously contentious relationship with his kids and he really has no one to blame but himself for the circumstances surrounding their strained state. Michael is the father of former A-lister Lindsay Lohan, but the actress has had her fair share of controversies that have aided in her career coming to a screeching halt. While Lindsay is ultimately responsible for her own actions, there’s no denying that her inattentive and often absent father is a major reason behind some of her irrational behaviors.

Growing up, Lindsay and her three siblings never had much of a stable environment largely due to Michael’s erratic actions. According to both Lindsay and her mother Dina, Michael was a toxic influence in their lives due to his abusive nature. Lohan was in and out of jail throughout Lindsay’s childhood and when he actually was present he was constantly causing fights within the family. The couple finally divorced but once Lindsay became a celebrity he often sold stories to the tabloids about his daughter – a move that obviously infuriated Lindsay and those close to her.

Aside from all of Michael’s dirty deeds and lackluster performance as a parent, it was also revealed that he secretly fathered a love child while he was still married to Lindsay’s mother. There’s no doubt that Lindsay has plenty of reasons to be upset with her estranged father, and abandoning his family while trying to profit from his daughter’s stardom is definitely at the top of the list.

4 Billy Bob Thornton Failed To Follow Through With Adoption

When Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie were an item they often made headlines for their bizarre relationship. There’s no denying that the odd couple was certainly unique but they seemed to complement each other nonetheless. Thornton and Jolie quickly married in 2000 and by 2002 they announced their plans to adopt a child from Cambodia. While Billy Bob was involved in the adoption process, he and Angelina ultimately decided to part ways three months after they publicly proclaimed that they would become parents.

During their divorce, Thornton abruptly abandoned his plans to follow through with the adoption, leaving Angelina to become the sole parent of a young boy named Maddox. Many assume that Angelina’s longing to become a mother was what caused a major rift in their romance, but Billy Bob eventually made it clear that parenthood just wasn’t in the cards for him at the time. Despite his initial intention to adopt, Billy Bob seemingly had no problem leaving his ex-wife to become a single mother, but Brad Pitt eventually took on parental responsibilities and officially adopted Maddox during his marriage to Jolie.

3 Rosie O'Donnell Couldn't Handle Her Wild Daughter Anymore

Rosie O’Donnell is the mother to five adopted children who vary in age, but it’s net oldest daughter Chelsea who has proven to be the most troublesome for the star. For a long time, things for the O’Donnell seemed all well and good until one day Rosie announced to the public that her daughter had gone missing and asked for their help in locating her. The actress and television host revealed that the teenager was “mentally ill” and that’s when things really took a turn for the worst. Chelsea immediately hit back at her mother with a series of allegations against the star that included negligence and abuse. Rosie and Chelsea have been going back and forth in the press and on social media for what feels like forever, but finally O’Donnell decided that enough was enough. The star apparently came to terms with the fact that the relationship between her and her daughter was damaged beyond repair and she decided to walk away from the situation all together. Although she claims to wish the best for Chelsea in her future endeavors, Rosie refuses to give the girl any money or be a part of her life until she straightens herself out. As for Chelsea, the feeling appears to be mutual - insisting that she equally doesn’t want much to do with her adoptive mother.

2 Paula Johnson Can't Admit When She Is Wrong

Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson didn’t have an easy upbringing. In fact, his mother Paula completely abandoned her son in favor for a life fueled by her many addictions. Paula left a young and impressionable Chad with his grandmother while she went off to continue her hard-partying ways for years. Naturally, having his mother completely dismiss her responsibilities as a parent had to be confusing and hurtful for Johnson, but the former football star still tried his best to maintain son sort of relationship with the woman who left him all alone and never looked back.

Last year, the hotheaded duo appeared on Marriage Bootcamp: Family Edition to hash out their deep-rooted problems. While Chad was willing to work through their rocky past, Paula lost her temper every time she was confronted about her negligence as a mother. The matriarch remained staunch in her decision to take no accountability for her actions, while continuing to choose alcohol over her own son throughout the course of filming. The entire dynamic between Chad and his mother was unfortunate to say the least, but Chad is serious about being an active father in his children’s lives because he definitely understands what it feels like to feel unwanted.

1 Adam Lind Never Wanted To Be A Father In The First Place

We’ve seen a lot of seriously bad behavior from the stars of the Teen Mom franchise, and the dads on the show are certainly no better than some of the moms. In particular, Adam Lind has got to be one of the worst fathers we have ever seen. On 16 & Pregnant, Lind got his high school girlfriend, Chelsea Housaka, pregnant at the age of sixteen. The two often fought on a regular basis, with Adam proudly admitting to infidelity and treating the future mother of his child like total trash.

Things only got worse from there; because once the couple’s daughter Aubree was born Adam did the bare minimum as a father. The deadbeat dad even referred to the little girl as a “mistake” in a series of harsh tweets to Chelsea, but she continuously took him back in hopes of keeping her family intact. As the years went on, Adam proceeded to go on even more of a downward spiral. The reality star has been arrested a total of over thirty times for reckless driving and drug use, and he is almost completely absent with his duties as a parent.

To make matters worse for Lind, he also fathered another daughter named Paislee with another woman, and she and Chelsea have teamed up in their battle for full custody of their respective children. Lind is a negative influence in his daughter’s lives because he’s too selfish to understand how important it is for them to have a father. Between constantly battling it out with his baby mamas to neglecting his scheduled visitations with the girls, Adam Lind is just one seriously bad dad.

Sources: Express.co.uk, RadarOnline.com, UsMagazine.com