MUSKEGON, Mich. -- The Safe Delivery of Newborn Act, commonly known as the Safe Haven Law, allows parents to leave a baby with a fire official, police officer, or hospital staff within 72 hours of the child's birth.
They can do it anonymously and guarantee a safe abandonment for their baby.
A newborn infant, left alone and buried in Muskegon is provoking anger and questions.
"It's heartbreaking because there's always options, but we have to continue communicating those possibilities," said Kris Faassee, a Bethany Christian Services employee.
Faasse was involved with bringing Safe Haven laws to Michigan in 2001 and is determined to make sure young mothers in need know there's services available.
"Opponents of the law have been afraid it would encourage abandonment and the one thing it does do is it strips the child’s history from them so for some we don’t know their social medical history."
The parent is allowed to leave the baby anonymously but safely with a fire official, police officer, or hospital staff on duty and in uniform. Since the law has been enacted, there have been about 148 safe abandonments in Michigan and nearly 3,000 across the United States since 1999.
But there have been two abandonments in West Michigan in the last four months that resulted in death.
"There isn't many young people getting the word out to younger individuals," said Kiara Rivera, a spokesperson for Baby Safe Haven organization.
