Newborn boy surrendered at Pico Rivera fire station; second Safe Surrender this week

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PICO RIVERA — For the second time in three days, a mother has turned over a newborn infant to authorities under Los Angeles County’s Safe Surrender program, Supervisor Don Knabe’s office announced Friday.
A baby boy was surrendered Wednesday at a Los Angeles County Fire Department station in Pico Rivera, Knabe representatives said in a written statement.
Another newborn, a girl, was turned over to officials at a Lynwood hospital Sunday.
The Safe Surrender program was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2001, with the goal of giving mothers who are unable to care for their babies a safe, anonymous way to turn the children over to authorities, rather than potentially abandoning them.
“It’s incredible that we have had two Safe Surrenders in one week,” Knabe said. “As word continues to spread about the program, mothers in a desperate situation learn that they have a better option. Because of their courageous decisions, these babies have a chance at a new life with a loving family.”
As always, the surrendered newborns were taken into protective custody prior to being placed with foster families by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
Under the Safe Surrender Program, newborn infants no more than three days old maybe anonymously handed over to officials at hospitals or fire stations, provided the infants show no signs of abuse.
Nine babies have been surrendered in Los Angeles County under the program this year, and 122 newborns have been surrendered since the programs inceptions 13 years ago.
For more information on the Safe Surrender Program, visit www.babysafela.org.

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