Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

re: Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

Marci — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:03:01 GMT

Safe Haven laws sound ideal, in theory, but it is my belief that these laws do in fact encourage women who are not ready to parent a way out that does not work in favor of what is best for the child. Going through a licensed adoption agency, allows the prospective adoptive families to gain all of the health and genetic history of the birth family. Adoption agencies also provide tremendous support for the birth mother as she goes through this difficult decision. I understand that most women who do abandon their infants are doing so due to shame, denial, and/or simply wanting to move forward and forget as quickly as possible, but is that really the message we want to send to women who give birth and do not want to parent? Additionally, issues of early permanency arise with Safe Haven Laws. So, although it seems sensible to have "safe" locations to abandon an unwanted baby, these laws actually work against private, voluntary infant adoption agencies and put the infant into the public foster care system before finding a permanent home for the infant. We all know the negatives outcomes of children in foster care and when there are many families waiting to adopt and bring an infant into their home permanently, why do we even consider this as a viable option? Beats me.

re: Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

km — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:38:21 GMT

The 7-11, to me at least, initially seemed like a bad idea. But the more I think about it, it doesn't seem so bad:

a) If the mom is unsure/frightened/etc. of authority figures, she may be more likely to leave the baby at a 7-11, than say a police station (where she may fear repercussions for leaving the baby, despite the law).

b) 7-11s are open 24/7, and are generally rather busy. If a baby was left at a 7-11, chances are the baby will be found rather quickly.

c) 7-11 has diapers and coffee--the baby and whoever gets stuck watching it would be all set.

re: Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

Brett Singer — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:58:09 GMT

It depends on the location. I can't find the link but in New York, I remember one of the "safe places" was going to be any 7-11. That seems like a horrendous idea. Hospitals, though, OK.

re: Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

Alice — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:54:57 GMT

Sfae HAven laws save lives. I don tunderstand how they would discourage a woman from making an adoption plan. If she wants someone to adopt the baby she will make a plan not just be lazy and drop the kid off somewhere. Women who abandon babies are often in denial, in danger or very young. They think they have no other choice. They dont want anyone to know they even had a baby.

re: Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:09:15 GMT

Thanks so much for those stats, Jean and Mike!

re: Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

Liz — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:45:11 GMT

I'm definitely not nearly as well-informed as the previous commenter, but when I read stories about newborns drowned in McDonald's restrooms, left to die, etc, and there's any kind of option for a woman to instead hand that baby over to authorities and let them give it a chance to find a loving home and have a future, there's no question in my mind that we should have and promote these laws.

re: Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

Jean & Mike — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:26:13 GMT

Hannah,

Here are the Massachusetts stats.

Our law went into effect late Oct. 2004.

The bill was filed in early May in 2000. Between the time the bill was filed and enactment there were 13 babies abandoned, 6 died, 4 came very close to death due to exposure and other medical problems, 3 were very similar to safe haven surrenderings -- including a baby that was brought from CT to a MA hospital just over our boarder.

Since our law has passed there have been 6 babies surrendered under the law, and four babies abandoned. Only one was dead when found -- in a garbage truck.

We established a hotline in early 2005 -- they field about a call a day that are mostly info calls.

From that hotline 50 women have been counseled and referred into adoption or parenting plans.

Stats show that our law has not encouraged more abandonments to take place. And 5 of the six Moms gave full family histories, with 4 signing adoption contracts sometime after the baby was left at the safe haven, all 6 gave full medical histories -- including potential congenital backgrounds.

We promote our law through public awareness lead by a 20 year old pop singer/performer who visits radio stations and talks to DJs and talk show hosts about the hotline and web sites.

Here's a link to some of her work.

video.google.com/videoplay

Because of this year old program New England went over 20 months without an abandonment, until this week in Newton. We hope the Mom was heading to a hospital, as one was less then a half mile away, and just beyond a highway next to that neighborhood.

Thanks.

re: Should It Be Legal to Abandon Babies in Safe Places?

chyna823 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:43:08 GMT

I wonder if there are any stats about the survival rates of abandoned newborns before and after safe haven laws went into effect. I do wonder about their effectiveness--it would probably be more valuable to provide some means for these women/girls to obtain proper medical care before, during, and after the birth as well as adoptionn counseling, under a veil of anonymity.