Calaveras County Designates Infant Safe Surrender Sites
San Andreas, CA — The Prevent Child Abuse Council Calaveras has worked with local fire departments to establish two new Safe Surrender Sites for infants.
P.C.A.C.C. Director Robin Davis says California law allows parents to confidentially surrender an infant, within three days of birth, to a hospital or designated fire station. The law guarantees anonymity and freedom from prosecution as long as there are no signs of abuse or neglect. A surrendered baby is given medical treatment and placed in a foster home or pre-adoptive home.
The Calaveras County Supervisors have voted to authorize the Ebbetts Pass Fire Protection District Station One in Arnold and the Central Calaveras Fire and Rescue Protection District station in Mountain Ranch as the new sites. An additional Safe Surrender Site is the Emergency Room of Mark Twain St. Joseph’s Hospital in San Andreas.
P.C.A.C.C. was prompted to create two additional sites following an incident six months ago in Turlock. An infant girl was found in a trash bin and the mother was located and charged with first degree murder. Turlock Police said there was a fire station just a mile and a half away where the distressed mother could have safely surrendered her child within three days of birth.
Written by bjhansen@mlode.com.
