Safe Havens
Not all women who get pregnant are ready to raise a child. Sometimes they see no options except to abandon the baby. Safe Havens provides a new option. It allows a birth parent to leave an infant (up to 30 days old) with:
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a medical worker in a hospital;
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a medical worker at a fire department or other emergency service organization; or
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a peace officer at a law enforcement agency.
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Learn more about Ohio's Safe Havens for Newborns
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Who can take a newborn to a Safe Haven?
The birth parent (mother or father) can take a child to a Safe Haven. The law provides protection from prosecution only for the child 's parents.
If the infant is left with a person at one of these places, and has not been abused, the parent will face no legal consequences for making this choice.