SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- A heartbreaking discovery in Mission Bay this week has prompted child safety advocates to remind families about California's Safe Surrender Law, which provides legal and confidential options for parents in crisis.
San Diego Police are investigating after an infant boy was found dead inside a porta-potty in Mission Bay on Monday. The baby was only in the second trimester of development and investigators are trying to determine whether he was alive before being left behind.
California's Safely Surrendered Baby Law exists to prevent exactly this type of tragedy. The law allows a parent or guardian to legally and anonymously surrender a newborn up to 72 hours old at any designated site, with no names and no questions asked.
Aside from hospitals, all San Diego fire stations are designated safe surrender sites. Staff members at these locations will safely care for newborns brought to them. Locations can be found at https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/cs/safe_arms_for_newborns.html.
At Sharp Mary Birch, one of the region's busiest maternity hospitals, social workers say many parents don't know this resource exists.
"I don't think parents know that it's here. I think that when people are pregnant and scared, it's hard to find the information," said San Diego-based social worker Rose Bloomberg-Rissman.
About half of the country also has what's called "safe haven boxes" to add another layer of anonymity. A baby is safely placed inside these climate-controlled boxes with no questions asked.
Though it's not available in California yet, the Safe Haven Alliance, the group that provides these boxes, wants to have them available everywhere.
"There are no consequences. Nobody's in trouble; the goal is to keep babies safe," Bloomberg-Rissman said.
A California hotline to help parents find a nearby Safe Surrender location is available at 877-BABY-SAF (877-222-9723).
"Once a baby is surrendered, we provide immediate medical care and connect them to long-term support. It's entirely confidential," said Bloomberg-Rissman.
As San Diego grieves the loss of the Mission Bay infant, officials hope more people will learn about safe surrender before a desperate situation turns tragic.
Safe Surrender sites are open 24/7 across San Diego County.
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