The Los Angeles County Safe Surrender program celebrated a second success story today with the confirmation of a Safe Surrender in the City of Monterey Park. Word of the other Safe Surrender came earlier today out of Huntington Park.
This most recent Safe Surrender of a female Chinese newborn occurred on Tuesday, January 15 at a hospital in Monterey Park. Although the surrender happened several days ago, confirmation was just received today. It is normal for surrenders to take several days to be verified under the rules of the program. As is standard practice, the baby girl is in protective custody and will be placed with a family approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.
A second Safe surrender also occurred on Tuesday, January 15th when a Hispanic baby boy was taken to an urgent care facility in the City of Huntington Park. This is not the first time multiple surrenders have happened on the same day. Last year, two babies were surrendered in different parts of the County on January 17, 2007. Two different surrenders also occurred on February 10, 2007.
This is the third Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2008, and the 65th since the program began seven years ago. The program was initiated by Supervisor Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in 2001. It allows someone to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant 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.