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Home > Safe Surrender

Don Knabe. Working for you.

Click on a dot on the map of Los Angeles County above to find out more information about each safe surrender.

AUGUST 15, 2008

Newborn Safely Surrendered In South Pasadena

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is pleased to announce the County’s Safe Surrender Program celebrated success again yesterday with the report of another safely surrendered newborn. This most recent report of a safe surrender occurred at a fire station in the City of South Pasadena.

The newborn Hispanic male was surrendered on Thursday, August 14 at South Pasadena Fire Station #81 and was transported to a local hospital. The newborn is reported to be in good health. As is standard practice, the baby boy is in protective custody and will be placed with a family approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.

“This case could have ended in tragedy, but because of the Safe Surrender program, this baby boy has a long life ahead of him,” said Supervisor Knabe. “I am happy this mother made the right choice for her baby.”

This is the sixth Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2008, and the 68th since the program began seven years ago. The program was initiated by Supervisor Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in 2001. It allows someone to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant shows no signs of abuse.
 

 

View the press release.

 

Have a question? Ask Don.

 

JULY 1, 2008

Supervisors Payout Reward In 2006 Death of Newborn Baby In Alhambra


The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved payout of two $5,000 rewards for information that led to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the death of Baby Rose, a newborn baby girl whose body was found along railroad tracks in the City of Alhambra.

The body of Baby Rose was discovered wrapped in plastic grocery bags on March 11, 2006. On March 16, 2006, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich called for a $10,000 reward for information in the case. Over 50 tips were received by the Alhambra Police Department. Two of the tips aided in the investigation, so the County has authorized payout of the reward in the form of two separate amounts of $5,000 each. The two individuals who will receive the rewards have asked to remain anonymous.

Armed with information provided by the tipsters and DNA test results, the Alhambra Police Department was able to positively identify and arrest 41-year-old Tonya Shafer on November 29, 2006. On April 30, 2008, Shafer was sentenced to a prison term of 25 years-to-life.

“This case shows that our reward system works and I am glad that the woman responsible for the death of Baby Rose is now in prison,” said Supervisor Don Knabe. “The sad reality is that newborn abandonments like this don’t need to happen. In Los Angeles County, we have a very successful alternative in the Safe Surrender Program, which allows for a person to confidentially handover a newborn.”

The Safe Surrender Program was initiated by Supervisor Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in 2001. It allows someone to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant shows no signs of abuse. Since its inception, 67 newborns have been safely surrendered in Los Angeles County.
 

 

View the press release.

 

Have a question? Ask Don.

 

MARCH 31, 2008

Long Beach Hospital Receives Safely Surrendered Newborn


Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe is pleased to announce that a baby girl was safely surrendered at a hospital in the City of Long Beach yesterday.

The newborn Hispanic female was surrendered at a hospital in Long Beach and was reported to be in good health. As is standard practice, the baby girl is in protective custody and will eventually be placed with a family approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.

“I want to thank this newborn’s mother for doing the right thing,” said Supervisor Knabe. “We have a law on the books to protect babies from abandonment and give the mother a safe, secure and anonymous way to get her child into safe hands. It is still our goal that 2008 will be the first year with no abandoned newborns.”

This is the fifth Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2008 and the 67th Safe Surrender since the program began seven years ago. The program was initiated by Supervisor Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in 2001. It allows someone to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant shows no signs of abuse.
 

 

View the press release.

 

Have a question? Ask Don.

The Safe Surrender Program, based on the statewide Safe Haven Law, was developed and championed by Supervisor Don Knabe and unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2001.

The purpose of Safe Surrender is to protect newborns from being hurt or killed because of abandonment. Safe Surrender allows a parent or legal guardian to confidentially handover an infant, three days old or younger, to any hospital emergency room or other designated Safe Surrender site.

As long as the baby has not been abused or neglected, the person may surrender the baby without fear of arrest or prosecution for child abandonment. As of September 2007, 60 newborns have been surrendered in Los Angeles County.

 

 

 

Contact:

Nick Ippolito

Social Services Deputy

(213) 974-4444

nippolito@lacbos.org

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Don Knabe. Working for you.

Safe Surrender Accomplishments

2008
 

Long Beach Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #67 occurs in the City of Long Beach when a baby girl is handed over at a hospital on March 30.
 

Woodland Hills Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #66 occurs in the City of Woodland Hills when a baby girl is handed over at a hospital on February 29.
 

Remaining Opposed to Legislation that would Negatively Impact the Safe Surrender Program Supervisor Knabe renewed his opposition for the third time to new legislation by Assemblyman Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont) that will fundamentally alter the rules of the highly-successful Safe Haven Law. Under the proposed legislation, AB 2262 will extend the newborn surrender period to 7 days. Extensive research has shown that the 72 hour window works.
 

Monterey Park Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #65 occurs in the City of Monterey Park when a baby girl is handed over at a hospital on January 15.

Huntington Park Celebrates Safe Surrender

Safe Surrender #64 occurs in the City of Huntington Park when a baby boy is handed over at a hospital on January 15.
 

Norwalk Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #63 occurs in the City of Norwalk when a baby girl is handed over at Los Angeles County Fire Station #20 on January 9.

2007
 

Downey Celebrates Safe Surrender
Safe Surrender #62 occurs in the City of Downey when a baby boy is handed over at Downey Regional Medical Center on October 27.

Safe Surrender Protected by Governor's Veto

Supervisor Knabe offered his thanks to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for vetoing a bill that would have placed the success of the statewide Safe Haven Law in jeopardy. This is the second consecutive year the Governor has vetoed similar legislation. A similar version in last year's legislative session proposed extending the window from 72 hours to 30 days.

 

Los Angeles Celebrates Safe Surrender
Safe Surrender #61 occurs in Boyle Heights when a baby boy is handed over at Los Angeles Fire Station #2 on October 1.
 

Valencia Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #60 occurs in Valencia when a baby girl is handed over at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital on September 4.


El Monte Celebrates Safe Surrender

Safe Surrender #59 occurs in the City of El Monte when a baby boy is handed over at Greater El Monte Community Hospital on May 25.

 

Bellflower Celebrates Safe Surrender

Safe Surrender #58 occurs in the City of Bellflower when a baby girl is handed over at Kaiser Permanente on April 29.


Los Angeles Celebrates Safe Surrender

Safe Surrender #57 occurs in the City of Los Angeles when a baby girl is handed over at Good Samaritan Hospital on April 26.

 

West Covina Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #56 occurs in the City of West Covina when a baby boy is handed over at West Covina Fire Station #1 on April 21.
 

Report Highlights Success of Safe Surrender Program

Supervisor Knabe hailed a new investigative report that highlights the successes of the County’s Safe Surrender Program. The “Safely Surrendered and Abandoned Babies Report” by the Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect shows that the 72-hour Safe Surrender window has seen continued success, while the number of newborn abandonments in Los Angeles County continues to decline.

Valencia Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #55 occurs in Valencia when a baby girl is handed over at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital on April 8.

 

Opposing Legislation that would Negatively Impact the Safe Surrender Program
 Supervisor Knabe renewed his opposition to legislation introduced by Assemblyman Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont). Assembly Bill 81 (AB 81) is a rehashing of Torrico’s AB 1873 from the last legislative session that was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger in October 2006. Under the proposed legislation, AB 81 will extend the newborn surrender period to 30 days.

Bellflower Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #54 occurs in the City of Bellflower when a baby girl is handed over at Kaiser Permanente on March 26.

 

Downey Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #50 occurs in the City of Downey when a baby girl is handed over at Downey Regional Medical Center on February 10.

Glendale Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #51 occurs in the City of Glendale when a baby girl is handed over at Glendale Memorial Hospital on February 10.

Arcadia Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #52 occurs in the City of Arcadia when a baby boy is handed over at Methodist Memorial Hospital on February 26.

Glendora Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #53 occurs in the City of Glendora when a baby girl is handed over at Foothill Valley Presbyterian Hospital on February 27.
 

Bellflower Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #48 occurs in the City of Bellflower when a baby boy is handed over at Kaiser Permanente on January 17.

Brentwood Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #49 occurs in the City of Brentwood when a baby girl is handed over at Los Angeles Fire Station #19 on January 17.
 

2006
 

Long Beach Celebrates Safe Surrender
 Safe Surrender #47 occurs in the City of Long Beach when a baby girl is handed over at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center on Thanksgiving Day.

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