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Last week on the news, there was a story about a baby that was born to a young (19ish) girl. The girl walked out of the hospital 11 hours after delivery, leaving the baby behind. The girl gave a false name, but through the security cameras in the parking lot, the "authorities" were able to identify her. There is no safe-haven law in Nebraska, so the police tracked her down and cited her for child abandonment. How messed up is this state?? She left the child in the hospital, the safest place for a newborn, and they charge her with a crime?? I just don't understand....:hissy:
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TGmom, sorry, got the age wrong. She's actually 21, but that doesn't make a difference. She shouldn't be charged with a crime. Here's the web site for the newspaper in Lincoln NE, where this happened. [url=http://journalstar.com/articles/2007/07/25/news/local/doc46a67669df572298867363.txt]JournalStar.com - Lincoln, Nebraska - News - Local[/url]
Thanks for the link Amy.
I had just turned 24 when I used Safe Surrender, so you're right, the age doesn't change things in my opinion.
Interestingly, the SW was going to mail me something to my work from DD's amom, and I was giving her the address and nearly gave her my last name. She stopped me and said "NO!" I said okay and she continued, telling me that if I gave my name they would have to do a full investigation and that it would postpone the finalization proceedings and I would be waiving my anonymity. And this is in a state that HAS Safe Haven!
It even made it sound like I would have to be "reported." Scary stuff.
In my state, the laws vary from county to county. In my county, any hospital, police station or place of worship is considered safe drop off points. In the next county, only 4 specific hospitals are designated. That's it. Anywhere else is considered abandonment. And it's happened where there were dropoffs at the wrong hospital and the police were investigating. It's very sad.
Maybe I'm naive, but at 38yrs old, I still don't understand. If a child is left in a hospital, police station, fire station, place of worship, etc., how the heck can it be called abandonment? If the baby is left somewhere safe, I don't understand how a mother can be charged with a crime. No wonder babies are left in bathrooms & garbage dumpsters. These girls already feel that there are no options, and to know that criminal charges can be brought against them for trying to do what they feel is the best thing for their baby?!? Sorry to rant and rave, but this is so messed up! :hissy:
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I hate to be the downer in this conversation... but I agree with the state. There is no Safe Haven Law in Nebraska, so therefore, if she abandoned the baby, she is at fault. I understand that she could have been confused, and thought that there was such a law in her state... but she could have also planned on adoption for this baby instead of abandoning it. Just my thoughts on it - please don't attack me for my thoughts.
