Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, whose district includes Diamond Bar and Rowland Heights, has issued a statement regarding the dead newborn found Monday at a trash collection center in the City of Industry.
Knabe wants to remind residents about the county's Safe Surrender program.
“Heartbreaking tragedies like what occurred in the city of Industry are a reminder to mothers that there is always an option for their baby,” Knabe said. “The Safe Surrender program was created to give a Mother, no matter what the situation, a safe, secure and anonymous way to get her child into safe hands and to protect a baby from abandonment: No shame, No blame, and No names. Though 101 lives have been saved by the Safe Surrender program, this tragedy shows we have a lot more work to do.”
Established by Supervisor Knabe in 2001, the Safe Surrender program allows a parent or legal guardian to confidentially handover an infant, three days old or younger, to any hospital emergency room or fire station in Los Angeles County. As long as the baby has not been abused or neglected, the person may surrender the baby without fear of arrest or prosecution for child abandonment.
Since the program began, 101 babies have been safely surrendered in Los Angeles County, including twelve this year. The multilingual Safe Surrender Hotline, 1-877-BABY-SAFE, is available 24-hours a day for more information and the location of the nearest Safe Surrender site. Safe Surrender sites can also be found by calling the County helpline at 211 or by visiting www.babysafela.org.
To learn more about the Safe Surrender program, visit http://youtu.be/_EGoPXD23G0.
