TEXAS – The Baby Moses Law, also known as the Safe Haven Law, provides support and protection to parents who are faced with the challenge of caring for their newborn and represents an important lifeline.

This law ensures that parents have a safe and legal Choice to entrust their children to certain safe places without fear of reprisal or questioning.

Under the Safe Haven Act, parents who find it difficult to take the responsibility of caring for a newborn can confidentially take their baby to approved locations, including Hospitals, fire stations, freestanding emergency centers or emergency medical services (EMS) stations.

“Of the more than 100 babies abandoned in Texas each year, approximately 16 are found dead. An unknown number of murdered babies are never found,” says a Texas city’s website. “The Baby Moses Law is a solution to the tragedy by providing a responsible alternative to mothers who would otherwise abandon, harm or murder their newborn child.”

The law was nicknamed the “Baby Moses Act,” after the biblical story in which Moses was placed in a basket by his birth mother in hopes of giving him a better life. It was signed by George W. Bush on June 3, 1999, when he was governor.

How it works

According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, parents can surrender their baby and trust that he or she will receive medical care and support.

After the medical examination, the baby is handed over to an emergency service.

The Safe Haven Act is intended to provide a way to safely and anonymously hand over infants, thereby reducing potential harm to them and offering parents a viable alternative in times of need.

It is important to note that if you leave your uninjured child in a safe harbor, you not be prosecuted for neglect or abandonment.

But unfortunately, not all babies meet the requirements of this law.

Here are the Baby Moses qualifications

• Your baby must 60 days or younger and be uninjured and safe.

• You can take your baby to any Hospital, fire station or emergency medical services (EMS) station in Texas.

• You must hand your baby over to a staff member who works at one of these safe locations and tell that person that you wish to leave your baby in a safe location.

• To ensure your baby receives the care he or she needs, a staff member may ask about your family or medical history.

For more details, contact the Baby Moses Project or call the Texas Baby Moses Hotline at 1-877-904-SAVE (1-877-904-7283).