Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the seventh time this year and third time this month with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby girl this week. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred on May 27, 2015 at a hospital in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, a baby girl was safely surrendered at a hospital in Lynwood on May 2 and another baby girl was safely surrendered at a Los Angeles area hospital on May 8.
As is standard practice, the newborn is in protective custody and will be placed with families approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.
“It is incredible to know that three young, innocent lives have been saved this month because of the Safe Surrender program,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Because of the courage of the mothers, who found themselves in desperate situations, these three baby girls have a second chance at life and the opportunity to grow up in a loving family. If other people, who may be in a similar situation know that there are options, they too can make the better choice for their baby and safely surrender them at any hospital or fire station—No shame. No blame. No names.”
This is the seventh Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 131st since the program began nearly 14 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.
To learn more about the Safe Surrender Program, visit BabySafeLA.org.