BAKERSFIELD, CA (Tuesday, Feb. 3,2015 at 11:30 a.m.)—Safely surrendering newborn babies into the hands of personnel at any fire station or emergency room in Kern County has saved the lives of 45 babies since 2006. This month is dedicated to reminding the public of this “no questions asked” option for women who give birth to a child for which they cannot care . Here is the reminder from Kern County’s Department of Human Services.________

 February is Safely Surrendered Baby Awareness Month

(Bakersfield, CA) – For most people, the birth of a child is a happy occasion celebrated with family and friends.  But for some women, childbirth becomes a crisis and the decisions made following an infant’s birth can be a matter of life or death for the child.

Again this year, the Safely Surrendered Baby Coalition is planning a series of events throughout Kern County to bring attention to this important law.  On Tuesday, February 3rd, the Kern County Board of Supervisors will proclaim February as Safely Surrendered Baby Awareness Month at 9:00 a.m., during their meeting held at 1115 Truxtun Avenue.  The community is also invited to join us in celebrating the men and women who make this law possible, and those who adopt these children.

The Safely Surrendered Baby Law responds to the situation of newborn infant deaths due to abandonment in unsafe locations.  First signed into law in January 2001, the Safely Surrendered Baby Law became permanent in January 2006.  The law’s intent is to save the lives of newborn infants at risk of abandonment by encouraging parents or persons with lawful custody to safely surrender the infant within 72 hours of birth, with no questions asked.  The law exists so that these infants will not be harmed because the mother abandons them, or fails to provide them with care, sometimes leaving them to die.

To date, 45 babies have been safely surrendered in Kern County since we began tracking those babies in 2006.

The Safely Surrendered Baby Coalition leads the effort to educate Kern County residents about this law. This group of dedicated individuals represents a long list of departments, non-profits, hospitals, and stakeholders.  Our schedule of community presentations takes us this year to Arvin, Bakersfield, Delano, Frazier Park, Mojave, Ridgecrest, Shafter, Taft, and Tehachapi.

Don’t abandon your baby.  Safely surrender your baby into the hands of any fire station or emergency room personnel.  It’s safe, legal, and no one has to know.

This is part of the January 30, 2015 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you.