Beyond Belief
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http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_4253583,00.html
VERO BEACH A baby girl that was about an hour old was dropped off at an Indian River County fire station Saturday in what authorities said is the first time a Safe Baby Station has been used in the county. The baby, identified only as Hispanic and with the umbilical cord still attached, was taken from Fire Station No. 5 in Wabasso to Indian River Memorial Hospital, where doctors reported she is doing fine.
Indian River County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Luther said the baby was dropped off at the fire station on U.S. 1 at 11:15 a.m. Officials could not provide much information about who dropped off the newborn because of the privacy associated with Safe Baby Station program, he said.
"We can't say much about the people who took the baby to the station because we want people to be able to drop off a baby without questions asked," Luther said. "There was a lot of trouble in the past in the state of Florida because of people leaving babies in garbage dumpters or in restrooms.
"The Safe Baby Station is an ideal situation to prevent those things, and this shows it works."
Luther said a state law passed in 2000 allows parents to leave unwanted babies seven days or younger at designated sites such as fire stations and hospitals.
Under the law, parents can remain anonymous and do not have to give any information to rescue workers. It is not a criminal act and no detectives are assigned to the case.
In Port St. Lucie in February 2004, a baby was taken to St. Lucie Medical Center after a teenager dropped off her newborn at a fire station, saying she could not take care of it.
The law also permits rescue workers to counsel youths who may need help under the law.
"By law, even if the whole family came to drop off the baby, we couldn't question them, and we don't want to," Luther said. "We want to show people that they can safely leave their babies, and the child's safety is the main thing."
After the infant is checked at the hospital, she will be turned over the Department of Children & Families for adoption.
Luther said the baby did not appear to be in danger when she was dropped off. "It can be dangerous any time this is done, especially with the umbilical cord attached, but the doctors checked her out and said she's doing fine," Luther said.
VERO BEACH A baby girl that was about an hour old was dropped off at an Indian River County fire station Saturday in what authorities said is the first time a Safe Baby Station has been used in the county. The baby, identified only as Hispanic and with the umbilical cord still attached, was taken from Fire Station No. 5 in Wabasso to Indian River Memorial Hospital, where doctors reported she is doing fine.
Indian River County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Luther said the baby was dropped off at the fire station on U.S. 1 at 11:15 a.m. Officials could not provide much information about who dropped off the newborn because of the privacy associated with Safe Baby Station program, he said.
"We can't say much about the people who took the baby to the station because we want people to be able to drop off a baby without questions asked," Luther said. "There was a lot of trouble in the past in the state of Florida because of people leaving babies in garbage dumpters or in restrooms.
"The Safe Baby Station is an ideal situation to prevent those things, and this shows it works."
Luther said a state law passed in 2000 allows parents to leave unwanted babies seven days or younger at designated sites such as fire stations and hospitals.
Under the law, parents can remain anonymous and do not have to give any information to rescue workers. It is not a criminal act and no detectives are assigned to the case.
In Port St. Lucie in February 2004, a baby was taken to St. Lucie Medical Center after a teenager dropped off her newborn at a fire station, saying she could not take care of it.
The law also permits rescue workers to counsel youths who may need help under the law.
"By law, even if the whole family came to drop off the baby, we couldn't question them, and we don't want to," Luther said. "We want to show people that they can safely leave their babies, and the child's safety is the main thing."
After the infant is checked at the hospital, she will be turned over the Department of Children & Families for adoption.
Luther said the baby did not appear to be in danger when she was dropped off. "It can be dangerous any time this is done, especially with the umbilical cord attached, but the doctors checked her out and said she's doing fine," Luther said.
