Welcome back and thanks for joining us. In the previous post we talked about the reasons for Michigan’s Safe Haven law, and how it benefits everyone involved. In this post we’d like to share with you info about what’s involved in surrendering a newborn safely to the authorities. For new moms, the idea of just giving a brand new baby to a cop or hospital worker can sound terrifying, like a recipe for child abandonment charges, but really it’s not!

How do I know this isn’t a trap?

Michigan law says that if a mother surrenders an unharmed newborn within 72 hours of birth to the proper authorities, she will face NO criminal charges, NO CPS investigation, and NO legal backlash of any kind. The mother can surrender the child anonymously, and as long as the baby isn’t hurt, there will be no repercussions of any kind.

Who should I give the baby to?

So who are the “proper authorities” that new moms are supposed to surrender their babies to? Simple. The authorities legally authorized to receive a surrendered infant include:

• Staff members at any hospital in the state,
• Personnel at a fire station or a police station,
• Any on-duty emergency service provider,
• Calling 911 and reporting that you have an unharmed infant to surrender.

Are you SURE I won’t get into trouble?

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, many babies have been successfully surrendered here in Michigan. Yet there are still newborns abandoned. It’s believed that this is primarily because of fear. Fear that there will be repercussions. Fear that CPS will get involved. Fear that even though the law says “no questions asked”, there will in fact be questions.

These fears are understandable. Before the Safe Haven law was introduced in Michigan, anyone who abandoned a newborn baby would likely face criminal charges of neglect or abandonment. This led to infants being abandoned in ways that made finding and saving them almost impossible.

Is it really completely anonymous?

This is why Michigan introduced the Safe Haven Law in the first place. And why, several years later, the law was amended to ensure anonymity for mothers surrendering babies. Initially, a mother’s name was still recorded on the baby’s birth certificate, which led to fear of reprisals later on in life. The new law has changed that, ensuring complete anonymity for mothers handing over unharmed newborns to the correct authorities.

Do you need a child abuse defense attorney?

Surrendering your baby under the Safe Haven law will never result in criminal charges against you, and will offer your baby a chance at life. It will also negate any chance that you will be prosecuted for neglect, abuse or abandonment of a child in the future.

If you have any questions, or simply want to discuss your options with someone who understands, call the Safe Delivery Hotline at 1-866-733-7733 or go to the Safe Haven website for more information. If you are concerned about being accused of child abuse or neglect, call The Kronzek Firm at 866 766 5245. Our skilled abuse defense attorneys can help you through this difficult process.