North Carolina allows 'safe surrender' of newborns for parents who can't cope
North Carolina and other states allow for parents or caregivers to give up a child if they think it is in the child's best interest.
What is safe haven or child surrender?
Laws called "safe surrender" or "safe haven" lay out the conditions where a parent can deliver a child to a safe situation without legal consequences. They are in place to avoid situations like that of the baby abandoned in a dumpster in Greenville over the weekend.
"Safe surrender" laws outline the age of the child, who can surrender a child and where a child can be taken for safe haven, and they vary by state.
North Carolina's law first went into effect and allowed a seven-day window for a parent to surrender a child to a safe adult without having to give their name or facing any kind of criminal charges as long as the baby shows no signs of abuse or neglect.
Lawmakers extended that time to within 30 days of birth.
Child safety advocates believe the longer window helps to reduce the number of newborns who are abused or neglected or abandoned unsafely by giving new parents a little more time to consider whether they’re able and willing to care for a new baby.
Beyond that age, parents who can't care for their children are referred to their county's Department of Social Services and can face charges of neglect.
Where can you surrender an infant in North Carolina?
While many states define certain "safe haven" locations – a hospital, police or sheriff's office, fire stations – North Carolina requires that the child be given to a designated, responsible adult, any health care provider, first responder or social services worker – and that they contact the local division of social services right away to get the baby placed safely in foster care.
Law enforcement officers, social workers, healthcare providers or certified E.M.S. workers are required by North Carolina law to take a child if a parent wants to surrender the child. They ask questions about the child, including medical history, but parents are not required to answer.
North Carolina law also requires a court hearing and public notice that a baby was surrendered anonymously, in case the other parent or family members want to try to get custody of the child.
What do parents have to do to surrender a child in North Carolina?
Parents are not required to provide any information about why they are giving up their child, nor are they required to give their name.
Any parent who surrenders a child under the stipulations of the safe haven law is never subject to criminal prosecution.
Can parents change their mind after giving up a child?
Parents who surrender a child under North Carolina's safe haven law have up to 60 days to reclaim the child and their parental rights. After 60 days, the child is considered abandoned and could be given up for adoption or placed in foster care.
Greenville baby being cared for at ECU Health
Greenville police on Monday said the child found in a dumpster over the weekend was doing well and was being cared for at ECU Health. The North Carolina Department of Social Services was in contact with the baby's mother about next steps.
