This week in Arkansas, a young girl left a baby on a neighbor’s doorstep. She said that she was ‘scared and didn’t know what to do.’ That breaks my heart.
Arkansas has a Safe Haven Law. This allows an infant to be left at any hospital emergency room or law enforcement agency anonymously, no questions asked.
I’m sorry this teenager didn’t know this. But she’s not alone. I mentioned the Safe Haven Law at church Wednesday night and no one in the group had ever heard of such a thing.
The late 1990s had a surge in infant abandonment, many resulting in death of the babies. In response to these incidents, a movement began to allow parents to relinquish custody of unharmed newborns to a safe place without fear of prosecution.
In 1999, Texas was the first state to enact such a law, led by then-governor George W. Bush. Since that time, all U.S. states as well as the District of Columbia have passed Safe Haven legislation.
This is a loving choice in the case of an unexpected or unwanted pregnancy — to give the child an opportunity to have a permanent home.
It is sad that the young girl felt she had nowhere to turn. I’m not joining the ones who cry about what she “shouda”. I’m just sorry she didn’t know there was a Safe Haven for her baby. .
For more information: click here or call 1-888-510-BABY.
Maybe she did know but couldn’t get to a drop off spot. There are many more rural areas (especially in Arkansas) than there are urban areas. No taxis, no bus routes, just miles of wooded unlit roads to walk carrying a newborn to a drop off spot. Maybe we should focus on teaching teens real sex education and birth control techniques and we’d have to worry less about them knowing about safe haven drop offs.
GREAT to know and pass along!
I’ll make sure my students know too!
I can see how folks wouldn’t know it: they don’t read the papers or listen to the news OR have a confidant to tell. Good subject; good treatment. xoxo
I agree, Dot. I felt sad for her when I heard her story. Being 18 doesn’t translate into good judgment. I realize it could have had a very sad ending, but it didn’t, so I hope they will be merciful and use this as an opportunity to publicize that law.
Cynthia, I agree that education is the key. I did not know she lived in a rural area and of course one solution doesn’t fit every situation. Without accusing anyone around her, I felt sad that she didn’t THINK she could call on anyone to help.