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In the news this week another baby is abandoned and presumed dead and it just breaks my heart. In my 20 year career as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care setting, I have cared for five abandoned babies, fortunately, all with good outcomes. To me a newborn baby represents all that is pure and perfect in a world filled with muck and imperfection so I just can not fathom, no matter how hard I try to empathize, what kind of cruel, heartless monster would toss a baby into a dumpster...I was the nurse crying hot, sad tears over each of these abandoned babies that I cared for. So please forgive me while I mourn for this baby.

I should try to understand the place that this young 15 year old Lathrop girl found herself in when she gave birth allegedly alone in her home. The fact that she allegedly concealed her pregnancy from her parents perhaps lends itself to reason that I should be able to empathize the shame, the fear, the sense of hopelessness she must have felt. But when I try I see the face of the baby whom I cared for that was covered with ants when paramedics brought him to the NICU unit I worked in at that time. I recall the beautiful baby girl I cared for years ago who was found one extremely cold December morning in a trash can outside of a Bay Area shopping center. I can imagine what this young mother went through because in my years of practice I have seen it so many times before but I do not understand; I can not even imagine.

Perhaps one reason I struggle with having any feelings of sincere empathy for this young lady is because it could have been prevented. It should have been prevented. Under the Safely Surrendered Baby Law, a parent or person with lawful custody can safely surrender a baby confidentially and without fear of prosecution within 72 hours of birth. The SSB law requires the baby be taken to a public or private hospital, designated fire station or other safe surrender site.

No questions will be asked.

The SSB law provides a safe alternative to desperate mothers who areunwilling or unable to keep their babies. Babies who are safely surrendered are given medical treatment and placed in a foster home or pre-adoptive home. At the time of surrender, a bracelet is placed on the baby for identification puposes and a matching bracelet provided to the parent or lawful guardian in case the baby is reclaimed. A parent or person with lawful custody has up to 14 days from the time of surrender to reclaim their baby.

I have seen first-hand this law in action at it's very best. 

It does work.

It does save lives.

Unfortunately, those that would benefit often are not aware that there is a safe option for them in such a hopeless, desperate situation. After hearing of this story in local news, I sat down with my own teen-aged daughters and talked about it. I can't imagine my own children ever being in a situation like this local girl but then again never say never. If not my own daughters, perhaps a friend or acquaintance might need to be made aware of the Safely Surrendered Baby Law in this state that would protect them and their baby. Believe me, it's not the easiest conversation to have with your child. But if it saves the life of one newborn baby, then it will be worth the cold sweat and stomach churning that I put myself through.

Tonight I will say a quick prayer for that Lathrop girl but I also pray all the more that someone who needs to know will learn from this news story.