Iowa
Iowa Health and Human Services finds third and fourth safe haven babies this year
Two more babies enter the custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), one boy and one girl. This brings the total number of infants surrendered under Iowa’s Safe Haven Act to 70.
The two will be placed in foster care until a permanent family can be found. They are the third and fourth safe haven babies this year, after two others were accepted in March.
Last year, 10 babies were taken in by Iowa HHS under the Safe Haven Act.
Iowa’s Safe Haven Act was first passed in 2002. It allows parents who do not believe they can care for an infant to leave them at a fire station, hospital or other approved facility without being prosecuted for abandonment.
The law also allows for parents to call 911 and physically surrender custody to a 911 first responder. Both options are open until the infant is 90 days old.