My now-deceased mother abandoned us as children. Am I allowed to hate her?

I grew up in a difficult family situation. Too many kids, not enough money. Parental strife. Physical abuse.

Finally, my mother gathered the courage to leave my father and when she left, she also abandoned us: the three youngest kids, all under the age of 12, were left at home, essentially alone.

My mother passed away several years ago, and I find that my anger at her is growing, not dissipating. (How could she? What was she thinking?) Am I allowed to hate my dead mother? And if so, for how long?

Seething in the City