 | MASSACHUSETTS
http://www2.townonline.com/winchester/opinion/view.bg?articleid=166682
Casey: Safe Haven bill gives alternatives to scared young parents
By State Rep. Paul Casey
Thursday, January 20, 2005
In 1996, a young couple shocked a quiet New Jersey suburb and the rest of the
nation when authorities discovered their dead newborn son in the Dumpster of a
local Comfort Inn.
During questioning, high school sweethearts Brian Peterson and Amy
Grossberg claimed they panicked after discovering their baby was stillborn.
However, autopsy results confirmed the infant was indeed born alive and had
succumbed to several fatal skull fractures. The couple then resorted to blaming
each other.
In the end, Brian and Amy were sentenced to several years in prison after
pleading guilty to manslaughter.
The nation was still stirring from the Grossberg/Peterson case when 13
infants were found abandoned in the Houston, Texas area within a 10-month
period in 1999. Lawmakers in state houses across the country pressed their
colleagues for action. It was not long before then-Governor George W. Bush
signed the first-in-the-nation "Safe Haven" bill into law, with the hope of
encouraging young parents to leave their newborns in a safe location rather
than abandoning them or - in the most extreme cases - resorting to murder.
Since the Texas Legislature enacted this landmark legislation, close to 40
other states have passed similar "Safe Haven" laws. Happily, the commonwealth
of Massachusetts is among them. During the 2003-2004 legislative session, my
colleagues and I worked to reverse the upward trend of infant abandonment in
the Bay State. The Safe Haven Act of Massachusetts allows young mothers and
fathers to legally surrender newborn infants seven days or younger at a
hospital, police station or manned fire station with no questions asked.
Under the act's provisions, parents must voluntarily leave their newborn
with an appropriate individual equipped to care for the child at any of the
designated places listed above. Moreover, the infant must not show any visible
signs of abuse or neglect and an immediate notice must be filed with the
Department of Social Services (DSS), which will take custody of the child.
The law went into effect on Oct. 29, 2004 and the commonwealth kicked off
its Baby Safe Haven awareness campaign recently. While police, fire and health
care officials have been trained by DSS counselors on how to handle any infants
turned over to them, much of the public (new parents included) remain unaware
of the new law. The campaign can help.
Individuals seeking information can consult the state's new web site,
BabySafeHaven.com, or call a new statewide hotline, 1-866-814-SAFE. The
friendly and knowledgeable staff is taught to provide information, crisis
intervention services and referrals to those needing help with a troubled or
secret pregnancy.
Before, parents found guilty of abandoning a baby could face up to five
years in prison. Voluntarily placing an infant at a designated facility gives a
frightened parent an accessible and safe option without the fear of
prosecution. The new law implements a "no questions asked" policy. While it
encourages parents to provide information about the newborn, such as their
identity and the biological family's medical history, such information is not
required.
Ultimately, child abandonment and infanticide are avoidable tragedies. It
took the high-profile nature of the Grossberg/Peterson case to finally catapult
public debate on these issues into the national limelight. Since then, states
like Massachusetts have been working towards a solution. In that respect, "Safe
Haven" laws are but one part of a multifaceted approach to handling the issue.
States must also facilitate greater access to educational, counseling and
clinical services for young parents dealing with their newfound
responsibilities. These issues will no doubt remain a priority for the
Legislature in the new session.
While no one can say for sure that Amy and Brian would have turned their
son over to the authorities, a "Safe Haven" law certainly would have given them
alternatives - something every frightened young couple needs and all of our
newborns deserve.
State Rep. Paul Casey, D-Winchester, represents the 31st Middle
District, which includes the town of Winchester. Past columns can be found
online at Representative Casey's "View From the Hill" can be found on the Web
at http://www.winchestermass.org/pcasey.html or
http://www.winchester.americantowns.com.
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