Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: FrodeMk3 on September 25, 2008, 11:54:58 AM
-
11 kids, including family of 9, abandoned By TIMBERLY ROSS, Associated Press Writer
4 minutes ago
OMAHA, Neb. - Eleven children ranging in age from 1 to 17 were left at hospitals Wednesday under Nebraska's unique safe haven law, which allows caregivers to abandon youngsters as old as 19 without fear of prosecution.
ADVERTISEMENT
Nine of the children came from one family. The six boys and three girls were left by their father, who was not identified, at Creighton University Medical Center's emergency room. Unrelated boys ages 11 and 15 also were surrendered Wednesday at Immanuel Medical Center.
The law, which went into effect in July, initially was intended to protect infants. In a compromise with senators worried about arbitrary age limits, the measure was expanded to include the word "child," which wasn't defined. Some have interpreted this to mean anyone under the age of 19.
At least 14 children have been abandoned under the state's safe haven law since it took effect.
Todd Landry, director of Health and Human Services' division of Children and Family Services, said that in nearly every case, the parents who left their children felt overwhelmed and had decided they didn't want to be parents anymore. None of the kids dropped off so far has been in danger, Landry said.
The children surrendered Wednesday are OK, said Kathie Osterman, spokeswoman for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. She didn't know why they had been abandoned. Further details weren't immediately available.
Nebraska was the last state in the nation to adopt a safe-haven law. Under previous law, a parent who abandoned a baby could have been charged with child neglect or abandonment, both misdemeanors, or child abuse, a felony.
State Sen. Arnie Stuthman said he introduced the bill intending to protect infants. In a compromise with senators worried about arbitrary age limits, the measure was expanded.
Abandoning teenagers was not the original intent of the law, Stuthman said Thursday.
"People are leaving them off just because they can't control them," he said. "They're probably in no real danger, so it's an easy way out for the caretaker."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_re_us/children_safe_haven (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_re_us/children_safe_haven)
Has anyone heard about this law before now? This is abslolutely preposterous.
-
Newborns? Yes.
Anyone under the age of 19?!? No.
-
I understand the need for laws like this, but that is taking it to a whole new level.
The people that just give up and drop kids off should have some punishment, they should be taken into the hospital and sterilized so they can no longer reproduce.
-
You can drop off newborns, anonymously, at fire stations and some other places here in Texas. I have no idea what the upper age limit is though.
-
There are some O' clubbers I'd like to drop off in Nebraska if this is true.. :rofl
-
There are some O' clubbers I'd like to drop off in Nebraska if this is true.. :rofl
Only if you leave an adequate supply of ear-plugs ( the kind with special blood absorbing properties ) along with them.
I didn't know we had a law like this..
-
In a compromise with senators worried about arbitrary age limits, the measure was expanded to include the word "child," which wasn't defined.
What a bunch of morans.
-
Not biting....
-
You can drop off newborns, anonymously, at fire stations and some other places here in Texas. I have no idea what the upper age limit is though.
There's a similar program in Connecticut... Overall I think it's a good program that simultaneously gives both unprepared parents and newborn children a chance at life... It's certainly better than one of the alternatives IMO.
OTOH, up to 19 years old? Sheesh. I'll bet kids are pretty scared to get their driver's license in that state.
-
I've heard of the newborns law, but nothing about up to the age of 19, but I guess it's better for the kids, rather then being in a home where there not wanted.
-
Not biting....
Not fishing. Check the news' linky, see for yourself.
-
What a bunch of morans.
Erin Moran's family? Has she done anything since Jonie Loves Chache?
-
This law is a good arguement for abortion up to the nieteenth year. Come on dems, you could make it stick!
-
I live in Omaha and just heard about this story on the news. Apperently the wife of the father who dropped off the 9 kids died last year after a brain hemorage. I guess he couldn't take care of them anymore. The kids are now in a shelter and they would like to keep them together wherever they go. This is a sad story, but if the father can't provide for the children adequately then maybe they should go somewhere else.
-
i think the problem is that you need a license to hunt fish drive or own a firearm but not to have children..
maybe if people who wanted children needed a permit to have one there would be no reason for legal child abandonment
-
Erin Moran's family? Has she done anything since Jonie Loves Chache?
It's a play on this Internet classic. A monumentally derisive term.
(http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/n/U/moran.jpg)