Louisiana communities were shaken this week after authorities in Livingston Parish announced that a fourteen year old girl had been arrested following the killing of her newborn baby. According to law enforcement, the infant was discovered after the teen delivered the baby in secret. Many details are still emerging, and because the case involves a minor, information is limited, but the situation is undeniably tragic for everyone involved.
Stories like this are painful to hear, and they leave us searching for ways to prevent similar tragedies. One of the most powerful tools Louisiana already has, yet many young people still do not know about, is our Safe Haven Law.
Awareness of this law, especially among teens, can literally save lives.
Louisiana’s Safe Haven Law allows any parent to safely and legally surrender a newborn up to sixty days after birth at a designated Safe Haven site. These include hospitals, staffed fire stations, staffed law enforcement stations, and emergency medical service locations. Parents may remain completely anonymous, and they are protected from prosecution for abandonment when the baby is surrendered under the law.
There is also an emergency option that many people do not realize is available. A parent may call 911 and meet an emergency responder at a location they choose to surrender the newborn securely.
Once surrendered, the baby receives medical care and is placed for adoption through the Department of Children and Family Services.
The purpose of the Safe Haven Law is simple. It exists so that no parent ever feels they have no safe or compassionate choice.
When tragedies like the Livingston Parish case occur, they often involve a frightened and overwhelmed parent who feels completely alone. Distressed parents may panic during childbirth, and without knowing about Safe Haven options, they often believe they have no way out.
If this fourteen year old girl had known there was a protected, confidential path to surrender her newborn safely, the outcome might have been very different. A life may have been saved, and a young girl may have been spared legal consequences.
This is why Safe Haven education is so critical.
In addition to traditional Safe Haven surrender locations, Louisiana has recently taken significant steps to provide even more secure and anonymous options.
Following a similar heartbreaking situation in which a newborn was found in a dumpster, two Safe Haven Baby Boxes were installed in Slidell and Covington. These boxes allow a parent to safely place a newborn inside a temperature controlled, fully secure compartment built into the exterior wall of a fire station. Once the door closes, it locks automatically, and first responders are alerted immediately.
These boxes provide the highest level of anonymity possible. A parent does not need to speak to anyone face-to-face and can surrender the baby within seconds, knowing the newborn will receive immediate care.
More information about these boxes can be found here:
https://prolifelouisiana.org/two-safe-haven-baby-boxes-ribbon-cuttings/
More Baby Boxes Planned Across the State
Communities across Louisiana are now working to expand these life saving resources. Funds are being raised for Safe Haven Baby Boxes in:
-
Franklinton
-
Pineville
-
Abita Springs
-
Rayville
These additions will help ensure that more parents in crisis have a safe, anonymous option close to home.
Every adult who interacts with young people can make a difference. Teachers, counselors, coaches, church leaders, medical professionals, neighbors, and youth mentors all play a role in making sure teens know that Safe Haven is an option.
Members of the media also have tremendous influence. When reporters include Safe Haven resources in coverage of tragic stories, they help ensure that someone reading or watching who may be in crisis knows where to turn.
Safe Haven Resources to Share
-
Safe Haven Hotline: 1 (888) 510-2229
-
Safe Haven Information: www.ProLifeLouisiana.org/SafeHaven
-
Designated Surrender Locations: Any Louisiana hospital, staffed fire station, staffed law enforcement station, or EMS facility
-
Emergency Surrender Option: Parents may also call 911 and surrender a newborn directly to an emergency responder at a location they choose
-
Safe Haven Baby Boxes: Currently in Slidell and Covington, with additional boxes planned statewide
-
Age Eligibility: Newborns up to 60 days after birth
This tragedy reminds us that no young person should ever feel so alone or afraid that they believe they have no safe choice for themselves or their baby. The Safe Haven Law, along with new baby boxes and expanded community support, exists to protect both infants and parents in their most vulnerable moments.
By sharing this information widely, we can help ensure that every teen and every parent in crisis knows that hope, help, and safety are always available.
