Wisconsin
Distressed parents can now surrender newborns anonymously in Wisconsin. Here’s what you need to know.
A case involving a Whitewater woman charged last March with neglect and burying the body of a child sparked a new law that allows parents to surrender newborns anonymously in Wisconsin.
Parents will now be able to surrender newborns anonymously under a law signed by Gov. Tony Evers which expands on the state’s previous law allowing parents to leave a newborn with law enforcement and medical professionals without legal consequence.
Since 2012, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families reported there were more than 200 infants relinquished to state to police officers, emergency medical technicians or hospital employees.
Here’s what to know about the new child abandonment laws in Wisconsin:
What are the new child abandonment laws?
The new law allows municipalities to install newborn infant safety devices, or “baby boxes,” at hospitals, fire stations and law enforcement agency buildings. The boxes allow parents to relinquish newborns less than 72 hours old with no face-to-face interaction.
A newborn infant safety device may be installed if the building is staffed 24 hours a day, the device is temperature-controlled and ventilated, it can be monitored at all times and it triggers an alarm when a newborn is placed within it.
The law requires employees of the building housing the box to use a surveillance system to monitor it 24 hours a day, physically check it at least twice a day and test the device’s alarm at least once a week.
The law expands on the state’s 2001 law that allows parents to surrender their unharmed newborn child with a police officer, emergency medical technician or hospital employee with no legal consequences.
Proponents of the bill have pointed out that those living in smaller communities may be worried that the person they relinquish their baby would be someone they know or others would find out.
How many babies have been abandoned in Wisconsin?
In Wisconsin, 27 infants were relinquished to the state between January and November 2023, according to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
Since 2012, 209 infants ages 0-3 days were relinquished to the state in accordance with Wisconsin’s Safe Haven laws. In that timespan, the year where the highest amount of infants were left to the state under the Safe Haven law was 2022 at 29 infants.
If a parent changes their mind, can they request custody of their child after relinquished them to the state?
If a parent changes their mind, they can contact the county human or social services department in the county where the baby was left under the Safe Haven Law.
Before officials return the baby, you must prove you’re the baby’s parent. A genetic test can prove you are the parent. Parents must also meet with a county social worker to ensure the child will be safe in their care.
Which states have baby boxes?
States with Safe Haven Baby Boxes include: Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina, Iowa, Missouri and West Virginia.
JS reporter Jessie Opoien contributed to this report.
Wisconsin football’s Luke’s Fickell shares his message for team, fans
The Badgers football coach spoke to reporters following the team’s 24-7 loss to Minnesota Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.
The year 2024 wasn’t necessarily a banner one for Wisconsin sports fans. Which of these will most stick with you in 2025 and beyond? What’s the biggest disappointment in 2024?
Vote for your pick below.
Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football team
Year 2 of the Luke Fickell Era was supposed to push the program a step forward from the 2023-24 team that barely qualified for a bowl game.
Instead, against a tougher schedule and after the loss of starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, the Wisconsin Badgers took a step backward, finishing 5-7 and missing a bowl game for the first time since 2001.
Fickell fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo, but with another brutal schedule ahead and no clear-cut top option at quarterback, the 2024-25 season looks bleak.
Giannis gets hurt and the Bucks stumble in the playoffs
A late-season calf injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo kept the Milwaukee Bucks star from the playoffs, and Milwaukee was dismissed in six games by the Indiana Pacers in the first round, a second consecutive first-round playoff loss.
Damian Lillard also missed two games in the series and was limited when he played. Though Khris Middleton did what he could, a strange season (featuring a mid-season coaching switch from Adrian Griffin to Doc Rivers) ended in disappointment.
Mets stun the Brewers in the playoffs
A fielding miscue opened the door for a New York Mets win in Game 1 of the National League wild-card series, and after a thrilling rally in Game 2, the Milwaukee Brewers lost Game 3 in the biggest gut-punch imaginable.
With one out in the ninth, Pete Alonso’s three-run homer turned a 2-0 lead to a 3-2 deficit, and the Mets went on to win, 4-2, on their way to the NLCS.
The Brewers haven’t advanced out of the first playoff round since 2018.
Packers drop a heartbreaker to 49ers
The 2023 Green Bay Packers season finished as a success, but there’s the pain of wondering what else could have been.
In the divisional round of the playoffs, Green Bay had a 21-17 lead on San Francisco until the final 2 minutes, when Christian McCaffrey scored a go-ahead touchdown with 1:07 remaining in the 24-21 loss.
Wisconsin, Marquette lose to double-digit seeds in NCAA Tournament
Marquette has to get credit for reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013, registering an 81-77 victory over Colorado in the second round. But upstart 11th seed NC State, a team that only made the tournament thanks to five wins in five days to claim the ACC Tournament, dispatched second-seeded Marquette at that point, 67-58, en route to a Final Four berth.
Wisconsin had it much worse, garnering a No. 5 seed and losing pretty convincingly in the opening round to 12th-seeded James Madison, 72-61; JMU lost by 38 points in the next game against Duke.
TUCSON, Ariz. — Former Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke is headed to Arizona.
Locke announced his decision in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday, giving the Wildcats two veteran quarterbacks with Noah Fifita returning.
Locke sat out as a redshirt at Mississippi State in 2022 before throwing for 1,936 yards and 13 touchdowns with 10 interceptions for the Badgers last season.
Arizona will have a new-look offense with the addition of offensive coordinator Seth Doege, a disciple of late Texas Tech coach Mike Leach.
Fifita has been Arizona’s starter most of the past two seasons and announced earlier this month he would be returning to Tucson.
A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect until noon today north of I-94 including Ozaukee, Washington, Dodge, Fond Du lac and Sheboygan counties.
There’s more fog this morning, but we are already seeing improvement from this time yesterday. Most areas south of I-94 have seen the snowpack disappear and there’s some slightly drier air leading to better visibility. A dense fog advisory continues north of I-94 where some snow is still on the ground causing that thick fog to stick around early today. It will improve in these areas too with winds picking up and snow continuing to melt.
Rain will be the other big story today with scattered showers in the morning becoming a steady rain in the afternoon and evening. About a quarter to half inch of rain will be likely, with areas west picking up the highest totals. Highs will hit the upper 40s today.
Low pressure will lift north Saturday giving us a mostly dry day outside of a lingering rain shower early. We might hit close to 50 in the morning but most of the day will be spent in the 40s. Another low pressure system will pass to our southeast on Sunday bringing just the small chance for rain, mainly towards the state line. A steady cooling trend will bring our temperatures back down to normal for the New Year.
FRIDAY: AM Fog/Drizzle, Rain Becoming Likely
High: 47
Wind: SE 10-20 mph
TONIGHT: Rain Likely, Breezy
Low: 44
Wind: SE 10-20 G 25 mph
SATURDAY: Mild, Slight Rain Chance Early, Mostly Cloudy
High: 50
SUNDAY: Mostly Cloudy, Slight Rain Chance South
High: 44
MONDAY: Mostly Cloudy
High: 43
TUESDAY: Slight Mix Chance South, Mostly Cloudy
High: 39
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