Healthy newborn baby surrendered to fire department under Safe Haven law

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA/Gray News) – A newborn in Texas was safely surrendered to a fire department Wednesday afternoon under the state’s Safe Haven law.

The Amarillo Fire Department said firefighters were handed a healthy baby who is 6 to 8 weeks old.

According to the fire department, the person who surrendered the baby also provided the child’s hospital paperwork and vaccination records.

The child was taken by Amarillo Medical Services for a checkup and is doing well, officials said. The baby will be placed in the care of an emergency provider.

Texas’ Safe Haven law, also known as the Baby Moses law, allows a parent to surrender their unharmed newborn baby at a designated location without any punishment. Babies up to 60 days old can be surrendered under this law.

In Texas, a parent may take a baby to any hospital, fire station, or emergency medical services (EMS) station in the state.

For more information about Texas’ Safe Haven law, visit the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services’ website here.

Copyright 2022 KFDA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.