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

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Sources  Religioustolerance.org  Safehavenlaws.uslegal.com  Nationalsafehavenalliance.org  Discovery.org/a/10521  Family.findlaw.com/adoption/safe-haven-laws.htm  Childwelfare.gov