Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the second time this week and the 15th time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby girl. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred on Tuesday, October 6 at hospital in Los Angeles. Two days earlier, on October 4, a baby boy was handed-over at a fire station in Long Beach.
As is standard practice, the newborn is in protective custody and will be placed with a family approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.
“It’s incredible to know that in the span of two days, two newborns were blessed with a second chance at life because of Safe Surrender,” said Supervisor Knabe. “This year has been the most successful year for the Safe Surrender program because mothers, who found themselves in a desperate situation, ultimately made the better choice for them and their babies.”
This is the 15th Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 139th since the program began 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.