A recently abandoned infant has local police reminding citizens of the state’s Safe Haven Law.
In the wake of receiving a report that a newborn had been abandoned Wednesday at a local business, the Plano Police Department issued a media advisory to draw attention to existing laws surrounding the surrender of infants.
The incident occurred in the 600 Block of N. Central Expressway in the afternoon hours of July 5. As a caller reported to Plano PD, a couple dropped off the child, who had been delivered only an hour before.
Investigators from the Family Violence Unit later uncovered the identities of the infant’s presumed parents. The circumstances of the abandonment are still being reviewed, according to Plano PD.
The newborn is reportedly in good condition after being taken to a Dallas hospital by Plano Fire-Rescue.
In Texas, the Safe Haven law, also known as the Baby Moses law, provides a lawful way for an infant to be anonymously surrendered to authorities. This law requires that the child show no signs of harm and be 60 days old or younger.
Parents who are unable to tend to a child can leave it at a hospital, fire station, or free-standing emergency center without the threat of prosecution. They must hand the infant over directly to an employee at the location and make it explicitly clear that they want to relinquish custody.
In April, a Dallas fire captain and his wife adopted a baby left at one of these safe havens in February 2022, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
“If new parents find themselves unable to properly care for their newborn, remember that there is no shame in asking for help and that taking steps to ensure the well-being of the child should always be the top priority,” said Plano PD in the media advisory.
In Texas, unlawfully abandoning a child with no intent to return carries the possibility of spending six months to two years in jail and facing a fine.
