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Monday, January 5, 2015
As I sit at the fire station working my shift as a
medic/firefighter, waiting for our next emergency, my heart is heavy. I just
got a call that another newborn child has been found dead in the woods in
Indianapolis, umbilical cord still attached and discarded like a piece of trash.
I wonder if this young mother knew that
there is a law that could have saved her young daughter and this young mothers
name would have never been known. The
law I'm referring to is the Safe Haven Law--a law that has been in effect for
almost 14 years that has saved the lives of almost 3000 babies nationwide.
Back in April 1973, a young 17-year-old girl, scared and
alone, gave birth to a baby girl. She had been raped nine months prior and was
determined to do what she felt was best for her baby. Two hours after giving
birth, she abandoned her baby at a local hospital, the one place where she knew
her baby would be cared for and protected. I was that baby, and my biological
mother abandoned me without the protection of the Safe Haven Law. She did it
out of desperation because she felt there was no other option. Today, however, we have a law in place that
protects not only the life of the child, but also protects the mother from
prosecution. The Safe Haven Law was enacted to give women like my birthmother
who find themselves scared, alone, and desperate an alternative to abandoning
their child.
The Safe Haven Law, also called the Baby Moses Law in some
states, is in all 50 states and in the District of Columbia. The law is in
place to protect all parties involved. In most states, a woman has 30 days
after birth to safely surrender the child at any fire station, police station
or hospital with no questions asked. In some of these states, the girl gets
free medical care to assist with the birth of the child or any complications
resulting from the birth. This law is a win, win situation for all parties
involved. The mother walks away with zero chance of prosecution, while the baby
has the opportunity to be adopted into a loving home, and a family opens their
hearts and home to the child for whom they've prayed.
As we were busy making plans to celebrate the beginning of a
new year a desperate young woman out of Indianapolis felt she had no choice, no
other option, but to continue to hide her pregnancy, and once that child was
born, to hide her from the world. Unfortunately, she made a devastating choice
and left her baby in the woods, exposed to the elements of harsh winter. Now,
we are planning a funeral for a child that never had the opportunity to see her
first birthday. This child has been named
“Amelia Hope” as the name Amelia means defender.
As a firefighter/medic for the state of Indiana and the fact
that I was abandoned as a child, I feel a personal need to educate our youth
and our communities about this life-saving law. In a perfect world, we would prefer that the
mother come forward, visit a local crisis pregnancy center, and receive the
assistance and counseling she needs; however, this may not be possible in all
situations. With these cases, we want young women to know that the Safe Haven
Law is there as an option that respects the lives of both mother and child.
If you or someone you know would like more information about
relinquishing a newborn child, please call 1-877-796-HOPE or go to www.SafeHavenLaw.com.
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