Supervisor Don Knabe

Following the discovery of a fetus in a dumpster in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is reminding the public about the County’s Safe Surrender program:

“Awful tragedies like what occurred in Hawthorne are a reminder to mothers that there is always an option for their baby,” said Supervisor Knabe. “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—at any fire station or hospital, any time—and to protect a baby from abandonment: No shame, No blame, No names. While 2016 has been our most successful year in saving lives – 16 this year and 140 total – today’s situation reminds us that we still 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, 140 newborns have been safely surrendered. For more information and the location of the nearest Safe Surrender site, the multilingual Safe Surrender Hotline, 1-877-BABY-SAFE, is available 24-hours a day.  Safe Surrender sites can also be found by calling the County helpline at 211 or by visiting www.babysafela.org.