A Davis mother went to great lengths – about 1,164 miles – to leave her 14-year-old son at a hospital in Nebraska on Friday, just before that state's safe haven law was changed to stop parents from dropping off children over a month in age.
The boy's mother drove from Yolo County and left her son at Kimball County Hospital about 3 p.m. Friday, Kimball police and Nebraska state officials said.
The boy was the last teenager abandoned in Nebraska amid a nationwide controversy over a law that had been passed with the best of intentions.
Since the safe haven option went into effect in July, 36 children had been abandoned in Nebraska by their parents, including some from Iowa, Georgia, Michigan and Indiana. The law - which does not prosecute parents for leaving children at hospitals – originally did not specify an age limit for drop-offs. That led to children as old as 17 being abandoned. One man left nine siblings, ages 1 to 17, according to published reports.
Todd Landry of Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services had issued a statement saying the law was not meant to allow parents to bail out on difficult older kids.
"It was an unintended action from the original bill that passed," said Kathie Osterman, spokeswoman for Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services.
Nebraska lawmakers modified the law to apply only to infants up to 30 days old. The amended law took effect Saturday.
California has similar legislation. Under its Safely Surrendered Baby Law, parents can leave a baby at a hospital or designated safe haven site within three days of the infant's birth without fear of prosecution. The parent has 14 days to reclaim the child.
Nebraska authorities declined to name the Davis boy or his mother.
"Our role is to serve their best interest," Osterman said.
On their Web site on Saturday, Nebraska health officials said the boy is currently in foster care. Osterman said Yolo County authorities had been contacted, and that officials in both states are investigating the matter.
Davis Police Sgt. Glenn Glasgow said his department received a call from Nebraska authorities about 6 p.m. Friday. The case was quickly referred to Yolo County Child Welfare Services.
Glasgow said Davis police are not conducting a criminal investigation.
Diana Williams, spokeswoman for Yolo County Department of Employment and Social Services, said her agency is reviewing the case with Nebraska authorities. She also declined to name the mother or the teen.
"Our main job is to assess the safety and needs of the child," Williams said. "To our knowledge, he is not a Yolo County dependent."
It is not clear if the teen will be returned to California or where he will be placed. He could be returned to his mother, or he could be placed in Yolo County's foster care system.
"Nothing is a done deal, nothing is a forgone conclusion," Williams said.
Authorities do not know if abuse or neglect is in involved at this point or what prompted the abandonment, Williams said. The mother, Williams added, is not in custody. "It's a sad situation that a mom would feel compelled to drive so far away to abandon her child," Williams said.
Call The Bee's Chelsea Phua, (916) 321-1132.
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