Child Welfare.Gov

If you notice, most states place much lower age limits on their safe haven law as to protect newborn infants. Nebraska’s law has gone beyond the infant limit by allowing children up to age 19 be included because of fear of lawsuits regarding the determination of what “child” means.

“Eleven children ranging in age from 1 to 17 were left at hospitals Wednesday under Nebraska’s unique safe haven law, which allows caregivers to abandon youngsters as old as 19 without fear of prosecution.

Nine of the children came from one family. The six boys and three girls were left by their father… Unrelated boys ages 11 and 15 also were surrendered.

At least 14 children have been abandoned under the state’s safe haven law since it took effect (Nebraska in July).

State Senator Arnie Stuthman says, “People are leaving them off just because they can’t control them. They’re probably in no real danger, so it’s an easy way out for the caretaker.”

He also stated, “Abandoning teenagers was not the original intent of the law.”

I agree with you about the abandonment charge against parents giving their children up. The only time I do see it as an option though is when the child is forced to live in squalor, without food, and without the ability to be educated. Teetering on the verge of starvation and death is one thing, but basic hard times is another.

Some people rationalize the treatment into being what’s best for the kids when in fact, it is what turns out to be what’s best for the parents. Very hard situation to be in, but the children should be the focal point. Their health and mental ability should be paramount.

I know I’ve said it on a lot of your articles, but I truly think this is another sign of the times that has been written and that it’s all tied together. It’s just going to get worse.

To the parents who are dropping off their children and those who are thinking about it: The abandonment of a child does untold damage. I don’t care what you tell them. A child thinks from the heart, not with supposed adult logic. When the lights are out and they are alone in the quiet of a night, do you wonder what they think of? Do you think it’s an adult ‘understanding’ that my parents are so good to me that they dropped me off and abandoned me because it was better for me and shows how much they love me? I got news for you.. you are only fooling yourself, and I think if you were truly honest, not even that! An abandoned child wonders if they could have done ‘better’, wondering why they aren’t good enough. This same thinking happens every single time the child sees other kids with their own parents at a school function, out to eat, playing at the park, shopping…you get the idea.. EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING they do. Of course the child will think it’s much better for a stranger to give them a hug when they scraped their knee, had a bad dream, sharing their fear of the bully at school, wanting to talk about their first kiss…

So, please, just have the courtesy to call it what it is. Don’t say that it was best for the child. It was best for you. You were too overwhelmed or just didn’t want the stress anymore. Whatever…

It’s called abandonment.