Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the eighth time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby boy last week. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred on July 2, 2015 at a fire station in Tarzana.
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 this baby’s innocent life was saved because of the Safe Surrender program,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Thanks to the courage of this mother, who found herself in a desperate situation, this baby boy has 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 eighth Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 132nd 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.