Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is proud to announce that the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success for the 17th time this year with the report of a safely surrendered newborn baby boy. This most recent Safe Surrender occurred on Tuesday, December 8 at a hospital in Whittier, and comes two weeks after a baby girl was found buried alive in Compton.
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.
“With the nearly tragic abandonment in Compton still fresh on our minds, I am thrilled to hear that a mother made the right choice by safely surrendering her baby,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Safe Surrender, an idea born from tragedy, has grown into a truly life-saving, and life-giving program. Though we’ve been able to save the lives of 141 babies so far, we need to continue spreading the word that there is a safe, secure and anonymous way for mothers, who find themselves in a desperate situation, to get their baby into safe hands—at any fire station or hospital, any time—and protect them from abandonment. Thank you to our partners in the media for reminding the public that there is ALWAYS a better choice.”
This is the 17th Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2015, and the 141st 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