The age of a baby that can be surrendered by its mother under the state’s Safe Haven Law has been extended from 14 to 45 days.
District 41 Representative Ed Butler said he sponsored this legislation because of his commitment to adoption and safe haven related issues. Butler said he believes these extra days will save many babies lives.
“I believe the extension of time gives the mother a little bit more time to be able to determine whether she feels like she can care for that child or not,” Butler said. “Sometimes when you are in the hospital, you have some assistance that first week, and so it may take 30 days before you realize this may be more than you can handle.”
Butler said the extra days will likely decrease the chances of the child being left out in the elements.
“Because we definitely don’t want a child left by a dumpster or abandoned somewhere in the woods or whatever the case may be.” Butler said.
A new Safe Haven Baby Box dedicated Friday at the Fentress County 911 Center.
This extension of days comes one year after Butler sponsored a measure to expand the number of locations that have those boxes. Butler said people often have a misconception about how the box is made and how it operates.
“The box is monitored, it’s connected to an alarm system, it’s heated,” Farris said. “You open the box, place the child in there and close it and it locked. Obviously a designated representative can unlock that box. And out of all the children that have been surrendered in a Save Haven Baby Box most of them are rescued in less than two minutes.”
