2 More Teens Left Under Nebraska Safe-haven Law
Two more teenagers were abandoned at Nebraska hospitals over the weekend, police said.
If the state confirms both cases, they would be the 25th and 26th children left under the state's much-criticized safe have law since its admittance in July. The law allows caregivers to abandon children at hospitals without fear of prosecution.
A 16-year-old girl was left Sunday at Midlands Hospital in Papillion. Also Sunday, a second teen whose age is unknown was dropped at Children's Hospital in Omaha.
The 16-year-old and her mother had lived in Papillion, south of Omaha, but moved to Arizona, according to police Lt. Chris Whitted. It wasn't clear how long they lived away or how they traveled back to Nebraska, he said.
The mother didn't give a reason for the abandonment, Whitted said, but added: "Obviously, there's concerns about being able to care for her daughter."
The girl, he said, "was unaware she was being dropped off" and has been placed in state custody. Whitted said the mother left the hospital and authorities were unable to track her down.
Nebraska was the last state to enact a safe-haven law, which is intended to protect unwanted newborns from being abandoned. Some have interpreted the law to mean children as old as 18 can be abandoned because it uses the word "child" and doesn't include an age limit.
The Legislature plans to tackle the issue at a special session on Nov. 14. Legislative speaker Mike Flood said he'll introduce a bill establishing a 3-day-old age limit.
If the state confirms both cases, they would be the 25th and 26th children left under the state's much-criticized safe have law since its admittance in July. The law allows caregivers to abandon children at hospitals without fear of prosecution.
A 16-year-old girl was left Sunday at Midlands Hospital in Papillion. Also Sunday, a second teen whose age is unknown was dropped at Children's Hospital in Omaha.
The 16-year-old and her mother had lived in Papillion, south of Omaha, but moved to Arizona, according to police Lt. Chris Whitted. It wasn't clear how long they lived away or how they traveled back to Nebraska, he said.
The mother didn't give a reason for the abandonment, Whitted said, but added: "Obviously, there's concerns about being able to care for her daughter."
The girl, he said, "was unaware she was being dropped off" and has been placed in state custody. Whitted said the mother left the hospital and authorities were unable to track her down.
Nebraska was the last state to enact a safe-haven law, which is intended to protect unwanted newborns from being abandoned. Some have interpreted the law to mean children as old as 18 can be abandoned because it uses the word "child" and doesn't include an age limit.
The Legislature plans to tackle the issue at a special session on Nov. 14. Legislative speaker Mike Flood said he'll introduce a bill establishing a 3-day-old age limit.
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