Connecticut
Connecticut Marks 25 Years Of Safe Havens Act, Renews Focus On Awareness | CT News Junkie
HARTFORD, CT — Twenty-five years after Connecticut enacted a law designed to protect newborns and mothers in crisis, lawmakers, advocates, and medical professionals gathered Thursday at the Legislative Office Building to reflect on its impact and call for renewed public awareness.
The state’s Safe Havens Act for Newborns, enacted in 2000, allows a parent to voluntarily and anonymously surrender an infant who is 30 days old or younger at any hospital emergency room, with no questions asked and no fear of prosecution for abandonment, provided there are no signs of abuse or neglect.
Lori Stewart, legislative liaison for the Catholic Conference of Public Affairs and host of the event, called the bill a unifier.
“No matter where you land or fall in the political, social, economic spectrum, we can all more or less come to a point where we believe that a mother in distress and a newborn baby at risk are worth a fighting chance at a potential positive outcome,” she said.
Carl Schiessel, speaking for the Connecticut Hospital Association, said 37 emergency departments across the state are designated Safe Haven sites. At each location there are signs designating the site as a safe haven and licensed clinicians are trained to provide immediate, compassionate care to both the baby and the parent.
“This law has been a success,” he said. “We need more people to know this.”
The law was inspired by a tragedy that, according to Stewart, “rocked the state.”
In January 1988, a newborn was found dead from exposure in a Meriden parking lot. His identity was unknown, and first responders named him David Paul — “David” meaning “God’s beloved” and “Paul” meaning “Little Man.”
For decades, the baby’s name was all they had. But in 2020, Meriden police, with help from forensic genealogists, identified the child’s mother. She told investigators she had given birth alone and called in an anonymous tip. She reportedly later told police that had the safe haven law existed at the time, she would have used it.
Moved by the case, former Rep. Pam Sawyer, R-Bolton and the late legislator Anne Carbone, R-Southington, helped craft legislation modeled after a Texas law. Connecticut’s version offered a penalty-free option for mothers and limited surrender sites to hospitals — rather than firehouses or police stations — to ensure access to medical care at all hours.
“We have too many unmanned firehouses, especially in rural towns,” Sawyer said. “Hospitals are open, staffed, and ready.”
Sawyer emphasized the need to make the law understandable and accessible, especially to younger audiences.
“We knew that the best thing that we could do was to make the law so simple that it could be shared on a school bus,” she said. “Because that may be something that someone needs to hear, and if they get that info, they are going to realize that there are 24-hour emergency rooms and (the staff will not) ask any questions.”
Once a baby is surrendered, hospital staff notify the Department of Children and Families, which takes immediate custody. The parent receives a packet outlining their rights and options. If they change their mind within 30 days, they can begin the process of reunification through DCF — a process that has occurred in a small number of cases.
“This law ensures there’s a safe place when there seems to be no safe place in their world,” said Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague. “It’s not just about the infant—it’s about showing care for the parent, too.”
Rep. Leslie Zupkus, R-Prospect. spoke about the law’s personal impact.
“I have two adopted daughters from similar situations,” she said. “I always tell them their biological mother loved them very much and wanted a better life for them.”
The event also highlighted the story of Panna Krom, a high school student and daughter of Cambodian refugees who gave birth alone in 2006 at age 17. Krom concealed the birth and her newborn died. She was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Her case drew the attention of Doug Hood, a retired Yale New Haven neurologist, who spoke about how he met Krom when he was volunteering at a women’s prison, Hood took interest in her case and later connected with her parents. Hood eventually advocated for her clemency when he learned that there were many similar cases across the state.
Hood chronicled the case in his 2023 book, Daughter of Song: A Cambodian Refugee Family, Their Daughter, Crime, and Injustice.
“She wasn’t a premeditated or even an intentional killer,” Hood wrote in his book.
The law’s reach has also been bolstered by community advocates like Tiffany Quinn, who became involved in 2014 after hearing news of another infant death in East Hartford.
“This was truly a work of all of our hearts, and this came from a place of public service from the heart for what we believe is right and needed,” she said. Quinn helped launch a working group focused on public education and outreach.
Speakers honored the late Governor M. Jodi Rell, an advocate of the law.
Rell oversaw a statewide awareness campaign that included translated outreach materials, signage at hospital entrances, and public service commercials. Her son, Michael Rell, attended the event in her memory.
Rep. Tim Ackert, R-Coventry summed up the law’s legacy in simple terms.
“We always hear about ‘legislation that saves lives’ — this one does,” he said. According to Ackert, at least 59 newborns have been safely surrendered since the law took effect.
“That’s more people than were in the room today,” he said.
For more information about the Safe Havens Act, or for confidential local support and resources, contact the Department of Children and Families Careline at 1-800-842-2288 or dial 2-1-1 for confidential local support and resources.
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Connecticut is set to receive more than $154 million aimed at improving health care in rural communities.
The funding comes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Rural Health Transformation Program, according to a community announcement.
The Connecticut Department of Social Services will lead the initiative, partnering with other state agencies to implement projects across four core areas: population health outcomes, workforce, data and technology, and care transformation and stability, according to the announcement.
The program will include several innovative projects, such as a mobile clinic pilot with four primary care and four dental vans, a health workforce pipeline through the Area Health Education Center and UConn Health Center, and community health navigators.
“Rural Connecticut has unique challenges, and its residents deserve the same access to high-quality care and support as anyone who lives anywhere else,” Lamont said. “This investment allows us to tackle those challenges head-on – from expanding mental health services and building a stronger health care workforce to modernizing our technology infrastructure and connecting residents to the services they need. This is about making sure every corner of Connecticut has the opportunity to thrive.”
The program was developed through extensive public engagement, including more than 250 written comments, meetings with health care providers, local government officials and community organizations, as well as in-person and virtual listening sessions held across the state, according to the announcement.
Andrea Barton Reeves, commissioner of the state Department of Social Services, highlighted the program’s long-term vision.
“This program reflects our commitment to building systems that work for rural residents over the long term,” she said in the release. “We are excited and grateful to CMS for this opportunity to make sure that our investments are coordinated, impactful, and built to last.”
The program aims to bring health care closer to rural residents while supporting the workforce that provides care, said Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health.
“Every person in rural Connecticut deserves good health care close to home, and the people who provide that care deserve real support too,” Juthani said. “This funding helps us bring care to where people are and build the healthcare workforce our communities need. When we invest in both, we give everyone a better chance at staying healthy.”
Additional information about the Rural Health Transformation Program, including opportunities for public engagement, will be made available as implementation proceeds.
For more information, visit the Connecticut Department of Social Services website at ct.gov/dss.
This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
When a house has been loved for generations, its walls tend to hold stories. In the case of one family residence in Darien, Connecticut, that sentiment was taken quite literally. On the casement between the living room and kitchen are ticks that denote decades of growth, a quiet record of childhoods unfolding in real time. Several of those measurements belong to the home’s newest steward—the original owners’ daughter—who was ready to put her own mark on the property.
Eager to see what she could make of the 1930s structure, she and her husband tapped British-born designer Becca Casey of Connecticut-based Becca Interiors to breathe new life—and old soul—into the interior. For Casey, being entrusted with that kind of emotional patina was a privilege she didn’t take lightly. “The greatest challenge was ensuring that the new extension had synergy with the original house while bringing together the couple’s different tastes and honoring the home’s history,” Casey says of the 2,400-square-foot space.
That delicate balance shows up everywhere, from tailored silhouettes and clean lines for him to pattern and color for her. Nowhere is that nuance more evident than in the property’s oldest room, a long, beam-lined living space that once sat largely unused. Casey swathed it in an atmospheric mural, transforming it into a multi-zone haven centered on the fireplace, with moments of repose throughout where the family can gather to play a game or enjoy a book.
Around the home, Casey’s eye for nuance is unmistakable. She wields color, pattern, and shape with equal aplomb, expertly marrying form with function in a way that’s both timeless and fresh. A hidden television disappears behind drapery-lined cabinetry, the inner skeleton of an armchair is displayed like a work of art, a vintage dining table reveals a plaque from the husband’s hometown (a serendipitous discovery that made the piece instantly meaningful). In the end, reviving the dwelling wasn’t about reinvention for Casey—it was about the possibility that a new chapter can bring. The result is a space that, according to Casey, feels “quietly refined and effortlessly lived-in”—an elegant meeting point between memory and modern family life.
FAST FACTS:
Designer: Becca Casey, Becca Interiors
Location: Darien, Connecticut
The Space: A 1930s colonial with six bedrooms, across 2,400 square feet.
LIVING ROOM
Bare windows and a transportive wallpaper nod to the pastoral landscape.
The living room is the oldest space in the house, so Casey wanted to honor its bones while streamlining the layout for modern functionality. Custom Dmitriy & Co. sofas—linen on the top, patterned French mattress tufting at the base—typify the union between “his” and “her” tastes.
Sconce: Woven Shop. Lamp: Visual Comfort & Co. Chair: custom.
Table: custom, Becca Interiors. Chairs: Pottery Barn.
A traditional English roll armchair was tucked into a corner at the request of the husband, whose wish list included a spot to read. Aiming for a “layered floor plan,” with distinct areas for the family’s many needs, Casey added a game table as a visual anchor with a direct sight line to the main entryway of the home.
DEN
An original stone fireplace anchors the family-ready space.
Pendant: Woka. Coffee table: LF Collection. Sconce: Hector Finch.
Coffee table: LF Collection. Rug: Woodard Weave. Chik blinds: Joss Graham.
Drenched in French Gray paint by Farrow & Ball and grounded by the original stone fireplace, the den is carefully choreographed to support togetherness, with a custom sectional and hidden TV.
DINING ROOM
The sun-drenched space looks out to the backyard pond.
Paint: School House White, Farrow & Ball. Chairs: Maison Louis Drucker. Table: antique. Tablecloths: Zara Home, Cabana Home. Pedants: Lightology.
Part of the new addition, the serene dining room is flooded with light, thanks to expansive floor to (almost) ceiling windows. Layered textiles keep the antique table—a happy find, originally made in the husband’s hometown—geared toward casual meals.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Salvaged beams mimic the look of the originals in the living room.
Paint: Shaded White, Farrow & Ball. Rug: Lulu and Georgia. Bedding: The Company Store. Dresser: English Farmhouse Furniture.
Inspired by Belgian interiors, the elevated placement of the fireplace isn’t just a design flex—it’s an experiential choice that puts the flames right at eye level when lounging in bed. Beside it, two vintage English armchairs stun with their exposed interior, a Becca Interiors signature touch.
PRIMARY BATH
Natural materials were chosen for their ability to patina over time.
Mirror: Rejuvenation. Floor tile: Arto. Wall paint: Slipper Statin, Farrow & Ball. Sconces: O’lampia.
In the primary bathroom, wellness comes through atmosphere rather than gadgets. A Drummonds soaking tub is positioned for prime pond views, with a gray-green base (Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball) that reinforces the room’s soothing palette.
WORKSTATION
Smart features make family management a cinch.
Roman shade: Hunter Douglas. Desk paint: Studio Green, Farrow & Ball. Chair: Soho Home. Rug: Merribrook Collection. Flushmount: RW Guild.
To make the most of a hall nook, Casey crafted a compact desk where the wife, a teacher, can grade papers. Labeled drawers store art supplies, while a floor-to-ceiling cabinet (at side) acts as a hub for deliveries.
About the Designer
Becca Casey is the Principal Director and founder of Becca Interiors. Raised in the countryside of Southwest England, her earliest influences were rooted in history, nature, and the quiet beauty of rural life. These foundations continue to shape her design philosophy today, one that blends heritage with modern sensibility while honoring craftsmanship and the beauty of daily life at home.
The Hartford community is grappling with two police shootings that happened within eight days of each other. Both started off as mental health calls about someone in distress.
People came together to remember one of the men killed at a vigil on Wednesday evening.
With hands joined, a prayer for peace and comfort was spoken for the family of Everard Walker. He was having a mental health crisis when a family member called 211 on Feb.19.
Two mental health professionals from the state-operated Capitol Regional Mental Health Center requested Hartford police come with them to Walker’s apartment on Capitol Avenue.
A scuffle ensued, and police said it looked like Walker was going to stab an officer. The brief fight ended with an officer shooting and killing Walker.
The family is planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city.
“All I will have now is a tombstone and the voicemails he left on my phone that I listen over and over again at night just so I can fall asleep,” Menan Walker, one of Walker’s daughters, said.
City councilman Josh Michtom (WF) is asking whether police could have acted differently.
“To me, the really concerning thing is why the police were there at all, why they went into that apartment in the way that they did, in the numbers that they did,” he said.
The president of Hartford’s police union, James Rutkauski, asked the community to hold their judgment and wait for a full investigation by the Inspector General’s office to be completed.
A different tone was taken in a statement released about another police shooting on Blue Hills Avenue on Feb. 27.
Rutkauski said the union fully supports the officer who fired at 55-year-old Steven Jones, who was holding a knife during a mental health crisis.
In part, the union’s statement says that Jones “deliberately advanced on the officer in a manner that created an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury. This was a 100% justified use of deadly force.”
The Inspector General’s office will determine if the officer was justified following an investigation.
The officer who shot Jones was the fourth to arrive on the scene. Three others tried to get him to drop the knife, even using a taser, before the shooting.
“It just feels like beyond the conduct of any one officer, we have this problem, which is that we send cops for every problem,” Michtom said. “I don’t know how you can de-escalate at the point of a gun.”
Jones died from his injuries on Tuesday.
The union’s statement went on to say that officers should not be society’s default for mental health professionals. The statement said in part, “We ask for renewed commitment from our legislators to remove police from being the vanguard of what should be a mental health professional response.”
The officers involved in both shootings are on administrative leave.
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