IN RE: ALMA R. (1997)

Order, Family Court, Bronx County (Marjory Fields, J.), entered August 16, 1994, which denied petitioner's application for custody of her grandchild, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

 As the grandmother of the subject child, petitioner has no preemptive statutory or constitutional right to custody surpassing that of strangers who might be selected by the Commissioner of Social Services as suitable adoptive parents (Matter of Peter L., 59 N.Y.2d 513, 519-520, 466 N.Y.S.2d 251, 453 N.E.2d 480;  Ruiz v. Puerto Rican Assn. for Community Affairs, 174 A.D.2d 542, 571 N.Y.S.2d 717;  Matter of Chiquita J., 170 A.D.2d 353, 566 N.Y.S.2d 54, lv. denied 78 N.Y.2d 852, 573 N.Y.S.2d 466, 577 N.E.2d 1058).   We find that the child's adoption by her foster mother, with whom she has been living since the age of three months and has developed a strong bond, is in her best interests.

MEMORANDUM DECISION.