Family Forum / Parenting / Adoption / January 2006

ARIZONA

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=57984

Safe Haven awareness sought

By Mike Sakal, For the Tribune
January 29, 2006

A Fountain Hills woman is pushing for Arizona to join 19 other states
in adopting April 4 as Safe Haven Awareness Day, hoping this will bring
more attention to the plight of abandoned babies.

The state has a Safe Haven Law, passed in 2001, which allows women to
give up babies at a manned fire station or hospital within the first 72
hours after birth.

Maria van den Heuvel of Fountain Hills, whose daughter is involved with
the Abandoned Baby Foundation in Illinois, said Friday she plans to ask
Gov. Janet Napolitano to join the other 19 states that recognize the
day.

On Monday, van den Heuvel will meet with Jen Mozilo, president-elect of
the Junior Women's League of Phoenix, to plan ways to bring the law
more into the spotlight.

"I believe there is a desperate need for someone to pick up the cause
and run with it," van den Heuvel said.

"The main goal here is to let these mothers know there is a place to
safely leave a child so they don't die. Don't just give birth to
them and throw them in a trash can," van den Heuvel said.

Since Arizona's law went into effect, 11 babies have been turned in
to Safe Haven locations, including three in 2005, said Karin Kline,
spokeswoman for Child Protective Services.

Van den Heuvel said she became involved with the issue soon after a
newborn girl was left at in a trash bin in a women's rest room at
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in October and later died.

The infant was named Skylar by workers at the Maricopa County Medical
Examiner's Office and was buried Dec. 5 in Paradise Memorial Gardens,
on land donated by the Messinger Mortuary, van den Heuvel said.

What the law says
Arizona's Safe Haven Law, which took effect in 2001: "The parent of
a newborn baby can give the infant to a staff member of a hospital or
manned fire station within 72 hours after the child's birth. The
person relinquishing the baby will not have to give a name, won't be
charged with any crime and won't be asked any questions."

Number of babies taken to Safe Haven locations since law went into
effect:
2002: 4
2003: 1
2004: 3
2005: 3
Source: Child Protective Services