It sounds like that's how the mother wanted things.
Let me tell you a little secret....as anyone that is in recovery will tell you.....when a person comes out of a dysfuntional enviroment on their own road to recovery....one of two things will happen to their prior relationships.....those people will either move closer to the new healthier person....or they will move away.....being in recovery myself....i can attest to this. Dr. Laura is brash with some of her callers....but she is right on in family relationship advice..... and because of what i know about her "prior" life her mother most likely left her with no choice but to move own......sometimes we have no choice but to move own.....regardless of who the person is.....