I was just watching out local news and there was a feature on babies being abandoned in hospitals in Oregon and Washington after a baby was abandoned in a Vancouver Wa Hospital. (short brief: http://www.katu.com/stories/86970.html ). The infant is fine thank goodness!!!
I didn't know this but I guess it is legal to abandon your baby in a hospital or fire station within a certain period of time in the two states. Washington state it is 72 hours after birth, Oregon it is 30 days. I had no idea about that law!!! So this woman will not get punishment or repremand for doing this. The article did say that if there were signs of abuse, that a parent then is held responsible and will face an abuse charge.
They said that the child will be a toddler before she would be able for adoption because of the process of trying to find a family member who may want her (the woman left a fake name so it is hard to find her or family)...and other things the state must do.
That seems so sad for this infant, however...maybe living with the mother would be far worse?
Do you think it should remain legal to abandon your infant at a hospital or fire station?
I was just watching out local news and there was a feature on babies being abandoned in hospitals in Oregon and Washington after a baby was abandoned in a Vancouver Wa Hospital. (short brief: http://www.katu.com/stories/86970.html ). The infant is fine thank goodness!!!
I didn't know this but I guess it is legal to abandon your baby in a hospital or fire station within a certain period of time in the two states. Washington state it is 72 hours after birth, Oregon it is 30 days. I had no idea about that law!!! So this woman will not get punishment or repremand for doing this. The article did say that if there were signs of abuse, that a parent then is held responsible and will face an abuse charge.
They said that the child will be a toddler before she would be able for adoption because of the process of trying to find a family member who may want her (the woman left a fake name so it is hard to find her or family)...and other things the state must do.
That seems so sad for this infant, however...maybe living with the mother would be far worse?
Do you think it should remain legal to abandon your infant at a
hospital or fire station?
In Ca. it is also legal to do this. There are signs that say "Safe Place" where you can safely leave your baby.
I think it's better to leave a baby at these places instead of a garbage can! OR keep the baby when you are on drugs.
It's legal here in Wisconsin, too. Part of my hospital orientation was instruction on how to handle a young woman who wanted to leave her newborn with us.
We are to accept the baby, no questions asked. But, we are also to invite the mother to take an information packet that, I believe, includes an information card that she can mail in with information like the child's birth date and medical information.
Whatever attitudes people may have about the mother (and/or the father), THIS law is about the survival and well-being of the baby. Seems like it would be the exception to have to wait until the child is a toddle for adoptive placement. In WI, the wait would be more like three to six months.
Every baby that lives is a confirmation that this is a good law. For once, the innocent is spared.
I think it should be legal. I knew a girl when I was a child who was heavily retarded because her mother stuck her in a garbage can and covered her with grass clips on a warm day. The people who were her parents had adopted her.
(I watched on the discovery channel, a crack addict give birth do a baby that was under weight. Mom left the hospital and did not come back for a week to have her baby, and they let her take the baby.)
I read about a hospital with a "baby box". There was a door in the ER wall to the outside ambulance bay. (Bad analogy, but like a passthrough in the wall from the bathroom to the lab for urine collection). A woman could put her baby inside, then the door wouldn't open again and an alarm in the ER nurse's station would go off and the nurse could go to the inside of the door and retrieve the baby. Mom stays anonymous and the baby is immediately cared for. I think these are a great idea. Lots of time these Moms are overwhelmed and need an out right now before they lose it, but once they have time to cool off, they can make a better decision... and the baby is safe while she does it. Should we give babies back to these moms? That's a whole 'nother question I won't get into...
Do you think it should remain legal to abandon your infant at a hospital or fire station?
Yes, yes, yes! I have looked after a half dozen of these babies and thank God their mothers could abandon them in a safe place rather than throw them in a dumpster somewhere. Here we call it the Safe Arms program. I just looked after one such baby (who will be adopted very soon) and the adoptive parents to be are ecstatic. That child will be so loved and lead a happy life thanks to this type of program. I don't feel sorry for that baby at all. I think that baby is lucky.
We have a baby box like the one the previous poster mentionned.
"forty-five states now have some type of safe haven legislation. (the following states do not have safe haven legislation: ak, hi (vetoed 7/2/03), ma, ne and vt.) most of the laws designate hospitals, emergency medical services, fire stations and police stations as safe locations. one exception is new york, which stipulates that the baby may be left with a suitable person or may be left in a suitable location so long as an appropriate person is promptly notified. immunity is granted generally to employees who are required to accept and care for relinquished infants. about half of the states will not prosecute parents who relinquish unharmed infants. the remainder allows an affirmative defense to prosecution. state laws vary on the age of infants who may be relinquished. the ages range from 72 hours old or younger up to 5 days old or younger. the most common ages found in the statues are 72 hours and 30 days."
personally i think this is good. desparation(sp?) can make one do unthinkable things. it's much better that there be an out for these individuals than the alternative.
--mercyteapot i love your avatar! :heartbeat vincent is so attractive in ci! mmm-mmm :blushkiss
I am TOTALLY for this law. I know that it has saved many babies lives and will continue to do so. In a perfect world the mothers wouldn't feel the need to abandon their babies because they would have all the support (from family, friends, teachers, etc.) to make a choice on what to do, but it isn't so this is the next best thing.
I do know that in CA they have to physically hand the baby to someone who works in the hospital, fire station, or police station. But after that, there are no questions asked.
I hope that all mothers know that there are programs out there like this. It just kills me to hear about a baby that has died in a trash bag. No one deserves to leave this world like that.
The "Safe Haven" Law as they call it is implemented here in Colorado. It IS legal to leave your baby at a hospital or firestation. The whole point in this is so that the mother (or in some cases the father) doesn't take drastic measures, like dumping the baby in the garbage, killing him/her, etc., to get rid of the unwanted child. Yes it's unfortunate that people will do this, but I a glad that there is a law to protect the child. Remember... you don't know the complete situation on why the mother gave up her child, but be glad she gave it to people who know how to take care of a baby instead of dumping him/her on someone's footsteps. I stand by this law because it protects the child. You have to think.... the mother/father didn't want the baby, so they would've found a way to rid themselves of it if this law wasn't in place. And most likely it wouldn't have been pretty. Yes, it's unfortunate that the child won't be able to be adopted until they're a toddler, but at least they get a chance at life. I know you may be looking at the situation as the mother dumping her child off, but you should see the good the law has. It's there to protect the child.
-Angelnwhiteshoes (although I spelled angel wrong in my SN...Ooops!)
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MA Nurse
676 Posts
In Ca. it is also legal to do this. There are signs that say "Safe Place" where you can safely leave your baby.
I think it's better to leave a baby at these places instead of a garbage can! OR keep the baby when you are on drugs.