Mother who gave up baby wants him back

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

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The Safe Haven Law allows parents to drop newborns off without fear of prosecution.

The mother who dropped her newborn baby off at a Hillsborough County Fire Rescue station on Sunday has asked to get him back.

The mother, who is not being named, dropped the 3-day-old child off Sunday under Florida's Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to drop newborns off at a fire house or hospital without fear of recrimination.

The mother returned to the fire station Tuesday, but the baby had been taken to University Community Hospital to be cared for. The hospital said the mother has not made a formal request to it to get her baby back.

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The law requires that babies who are given up be put into the custody of a private adoption agency within 48 hours. Under the law, a parent of a newborn may claim the baby until the time when a court enters a judgment terminating parental rights.

Since the law when into effect in 2000, 71 babies have been dropped off at safe havens. Only two babies have been returned to their mothers.

The hospital said the baby is healthy and well.