LINCOLN, Neb., Nov. 19, 2008
Nebraska Lawmakers Revamp Safe Haven Law
Law That Allows Parents To Dump Kids Of Any Age On The State To Get A 30-Day Age Limit
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Lavennia Coover of Decatur, Neb., who gave up her 11 year-old son under Nebraska's safe haven law, fights back tears while testifying at a public hearing in Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 17, 2008. (AP PHOTO)
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Play CBS Video Video Notebook: Safe Haven At hospitals in several states, children are allowed to be dropped off with "no questions asked." But are parents misusing the law? Katie Couric comments.
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Video Eye On Child Abandonment Law Nebraska became the last of 50 states to adopt a Safe Haven law, which decriminalizes the act of abandoning unwanted infants. But, as Kelly Wallace reports, there is a critical loop hole in this law.
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Video Teens Abandoned Under Neb. Law Parents are using Nebraska's safe haven law to abandon their teenage children, raising serious questions about a law that's applied to babies. Hattie Kauffman reports.
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Interactive Children In Danger Warning signs, state-by-state child services information and a history of child welfare reforms.
The state Legislature voted 41-6 Wednesday to give second-round approval to the limit. A final vote is expected Friday and then the bill will go to Gov. Dave Heineman, who has said he would support a 30-day age limit.
If Heineman signs the bill, it would become effective immediately.
"The rails are greased and the train's heading down the track," said state Sen. Tom Carlson.
Every state has a safe-haven law meant to protect newborns from being dumped in trash bins and worse, but Nebraska's is the only one that lacks an age limit. Thirteen other states have 30-day age limits.
Most of the children dropped off at Nebraska hospitals since the law took effect in July have been preteens or teenagers as old as 17.
A 15-year-old girl was left at a hospital by a relative, making her the 35th child abandoned under the law, state officials said Wednesday. The girl, a Nebraska resident, was dropped off Tuesday at a hospital in Grand Island. She was placed in a foster home. Further details were not immediately released.
Hospital officials have said some of the children cried hysterically for their parents or guardians not to leave.
Child experts and others worry that children old enough to be aware of what was happening to them could be scarred emotionally for life.
"They did not ask to come into this world, they did not choose the parents they may have been cursed with," Sen. Ernie Chambers said Wednesday.
However, many lawmakers, health officials and child welfare experts have been sympathetic to the parents and guardians, saying they were trying to get help for their troubled children and were not merely abandoning them.
Parents who have spoken publicly said they thought they had nowhere else to turn to get help for out-of-control, sometimes mentally ill children.
Lawmakers plan to address the lack and accessibility of services for troubled, older youths during the regular legislative session, which begins in January.
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- Maybe it would have been better for me and my siblings to have been dropped off as children as our exsistance under our parent was not a healthy one. My younger brother got himself and my baby sister out of that mess those many years ago. I was too much a wasted youth in my attitude to care at the time. I know this also, I still do NOT trust the child welfare folks as far as placing unwanted kids of any age group. So, what are we to do? Pray to God and get answers from Him. That is all my wife and I can do to get through what we have to. In Jesus'' name!
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- Dang! I''m almost 50, but was seriously considering dropping MYSELF off in Nebraska! Despite the tornados, sure would be nice to have someone cook and clean for me!
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- What it thr baby moses law, and what we need is less giving girls infant dolls to play mummy, some girls are baby crazy. I am in flavour of having the parents being fixed when they dump thier children so they can''t dump more on the town/state. WA state it is 3 days they can dump off the child, We need to educate the young girls. And the boys too.
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- Now those children with parents who want them gone have to stay with their parents. I''m not sure this is a good thing.
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