Baby Safe Drops

Haylee Johnson, Leah Koppi, Mariah Meyer, Brianna Wagner

Safe Haven Laws Almost all states have their own form of the law.

Laws protect the parent from neglect and abandonment charges.

Newborn must be unharmed and within the age limit for the state.

Must be a location permitted by the state.

Parental rights are given.

Minnesota Safe Haven Law

Baby must be under 72 hours old

Baby must be unharmed

Can be left with hospital employee, on hospital premises, or with a licensed ambulance services

Identity of the mother or father can be left unknown if the baby is unharmed

Child considered abandoned child for adoption proceedings.

Law Variations 12 states the baby needs to be 72 hrs or

younger and 19 up to a month old

Most have either parent can drop child off others are: only mothers, agent of parent, a legal or custodial parent, some don’t specify who can bring the baby

Area of Safe places include: churches, fire stations, police stations, hospital or EMS provider, calling 911

Why is this a Good Thing?

Decreases the number of babies that are being aborted, harmed, and neglected.

Allows the parents to give a better life to their child (other than one they could provide)

Helps those who know they wont be able to provide for a child

Why is it a bad thing?

Deprives adoptive parents of genetic information

Relinquishes parental rights

Give away right to anonymity and criminal liability if baby is abused or neglected

Father can serve as a sperm donor

Test drive

Are the laws working?

There are still a large number of babies that are being neglected.

There is some legal limbo when it comes to adoption if both parents do give permission.

States have laws but don’t fund advertisement from them.

Opinions Positive: Many people for it

-Save lives

-Mothers aren’t capable

Negative: Hard to find

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/11/16/left-as-baby-at-fire-station-child-is-now-thriving-in-loving-home/

Sources Religioustolerance.org

Safehavenlaws.uslegal.com

Nationalsafehavenalliance.org

Discovery.org/a/10521

Family.findlaw.com/adoption/safe-haven-laws.htm

Childwelfare.gov