WSAZ | Kentucky | News

Safe Haven Laws In Place to Protect Abandoned Children

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Abandoning a newborn infant isn't necessarily against the law. In all 50 states, there are regulations and laws in place to make sure an abandoned child is as safe as possible.

The fear of the unknown of becoming a new parent is not lost on 20-year-old Lacey Kelley. She was a teenager when she found out she was pregnant and the thought terrified her.

"It was super emotional," Kelley said. "I didn't expect it and then when I did find out, it was like, 'What do I do?' "

For moms desperate to know what to do, there are "Safe Haven Laws" which gives people options.

In West Virginia, parents have 30 days to drop an infant off to any hospital or emergency facility.

In Ohio, the child can be dropped at a hospital, EMS station or any law enforcement office for 30 days.

In Kentucky, that infant can be only as old as three days without legal consequences, and the drop-off locations expand to hospitals, EMS providers, fire and police stations.

Not keeping her son was never an option for Lacey. He's the apple of her eye. But Lacey understands how overwhelming it may seem. Her advice is simple: "Realize there are options and people want to help. Do what you think is right."

For more information about Safe Haven Laws, visit the following website:

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