A newborn girl has become the 53rd baby handed over under the Safe Surrender Program, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.
The Hispanic female baby was safely surrendered Tuesday, February 27 at Foothill Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Glendora. Tuesday’s surrender is the 6th Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2007 and the 53rd since the program began in 2001.
The Safe Surrender Program in Los Angeles County was initiated by Supervisor Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in June of 2002. It allows a mother or someone designated by the mother to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant is healthy and shows no signs of abuse.
This case could have ended in tragedy, but because of the Safe Surrender program, this baby girl has a long life ahead of her, said Supervisor Knabe. I am happy this mother made the right choice for her baby.
As is standard practice, the newborn girl will be immediately placed in protective custody by the Department of Children and Family Services and placed with a foster adoptive family.