(Long Island, NY) The following statement was released by Timothy Jaccard, President and Director of the AMT Children of Hope Baby Safe Haven Foundation:
We are deeply saddened to learn about the loss of an infant when two teenagers were detained at Victoria’s Secret in New York City on October 17, 2013 for suspicious behavior and the infant’s remains were discovered in one of their bags.
Even more tragic is the fact that this could have been avoided if the young woman made one phone call or reached out to one person to exercise her rights to anonymously relinquish her baby under New York State’s Safe Haven Law, passed in 2000.
This law allows women in crisis to relinquish a baby up to 30 days old at any hospital, fire station, police station, or with any responsible adult completely anonymously and confidentially—no questions asked. The Safe Haven Laws, now passed in every state in the nation, are meant to prevent unnecessary tragedies like this that are often driven by fear and lead to the unnecessary loss of life.
If this birthmother had exercised her rights under the Safe Haven Law, she could have moved on with her life knowing that she did the best thing, that the baby was in safe hands and would not be facing any possibility of criminal prosecution because relinquishing an infant is legal, safe and completely confidential.
This terrible tragedy is an opportunity to remind any pregnant women in crisis who are unable or unwilling to care for their unborn or newborn infant, that they can call New York’s Safe Haven Crisis Hotline at 1-877-796-hope(4673.) They can also receive counseling and support, as well as medical care if necessary.
