Gone Baby Gone
At 7:30 on a Monday morning, a teenage girl holding a newborn baby approached a bus stop in Sacramento. The bus stop is only a few miles from the California state capitol building, where a law called the “SSB” was enacted—the safely surrendered baby law. The SSB allows a desperate mother to give up an unwanted baby within three days of birth, no questions asked, no prosecution for child abandonment, and hopefully no infant left in a trash dumpster, the kind of tragic scenario the law was designed to discourage.
So when the teenager—strawberry blond and about 16—appeared at the bus stop and asked a kind stranger to hold her baby while she fixed a bottle, perhaps she thought she was doing the right thing as she slipped away forever…safely surrendering her infant son. The stranger called the police. The police took the 7 pound boy to a hospital, where he was determined to be in good health, one to two days old.
But even though the police initially said the teenager tried to “do the right thing”, the law says she can be arrested and prosecuted for felony child endangerment because the only legally recognized SSB sites in Sacramento are hospital emergency rooms and fire stations. Bus stops don’t qualify. So the police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the teenage mother, who could go to jail for essentially choosing a bus stop over a dumpster.
If doing the right thing in this case wasn’t the legal thing, is the greater failure with the mother or the law?
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Stop it!!!
Kids who have kids are often suffering from a form of mental illness that seriously impairs their judgement (and what 16 year-old has much control in the first place?) Many are known to give birth NOT KNOWING they were pregnant (a form of denial) and being in shock when they hold the crying newborn. These are usually the babies that die in toilets and trash cans. We need to let the mental health professionals take over in these cases, and remove law enforcement. Putting her in jail would solve little. As parents, let’s teach abstinence again. It’s worked for all of my kids, and it can work for yours if you teach them right from wrong. As for this girl, stop looking. Find the baby a safe home and rejoice in his health. (How do we even know she just ‘slipped away’? She may have been abducted, raped and killed herself! We must all stop judging everyone and get on with giving our own children the best we have to offer. Give them the tools they need to rear the next generation better than this one has been raised. We can also stop celebrating the lurid, base and disgusting Brats Dolls and booze guzzling heiress role-models.
KJ Young | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Correct Understanding
Ann, you are right that correct language is important, but correct understanding is even more important. You example of miscarriage is incorrect. The difference between abortion and miscarriage is the difference between a deliberate act and an unfortunate tragedy. It doesn’t matter that the result for the child is the same because we know what we did. It will help if you understand that not everybody feels the same way about the definition of life as you do. You are quick to say that religion has no right to determine where life exists, but you have no qualms about taking that right yourself. Assuming that your view is the only correct one is a risky position to take.
Neil | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Miscarriage not a tragedy
Religion has to stay out of this discussion because it is an endless loop of thousands of opinions based on thousands of “my god says this” and “my god says that”. Sacrificial virgins are part of some religions, we came from aliens are part of another and some people believe virgins give birth. The minute you bring all these opinions to the table you start wars. That’s why the founding fathers said: separation of church and state – religion will not determine laws. The divine right of kings was why people wanted a country free from religious tyranny (deciding what is right and wrong based on someone’s religion.) If that’s what you want, you might be happier with a theocracy. I stand with Thomas Jefferson – we risk freedoms by having someone determine law by religion. He said:
History furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes. -Thomas Jefferson
Ann | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Miscarriage Is a Tragedy
You are continually missing my point, Ann. Priest aren’t trying to make any laws here. Separation of church and state does not apply. By claiming that only people who don’t beleive in God are allowed to take part in policy decisions, you are guilty of exactly the form of tyranny that Jefferson was reffering to, only in the other direction. I am not advocating that we “determine law by religion,” I am suggesting that we allow all people to the table regardless of their religious beliefs. By claiming that others’ religious beliefs are invalid, you are forcing them to adhere to YOUR beliefs. A religious test if I ever heard of one.
Neil | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Legality In Question
It would help to note, Ann, that this discussion began with the question of wether the completely legal actions of the police to attempt to arrest this girl are in fact the “right thing to do.” Keep in mind that the legality of abortion does not necessarily justify it.
Neil | 1 year, 11 months ago
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a blessing
Joseph is correct this child should not be a punishment for the young mother but a blessing in disguise for all who will come to love this tiny baby boy. What she did was courageous and maybe she was not aware of her options. We truly do not know all the facts of her pregnancy so therefore should just be thankful this infant is ok and safe.
Also, a comment was made about another child for the foster care system and I know the foster care system is filled with tons of children across this country, but I rather see a child there then being abused and unwatned. A baby can find a loving home quicker then older children as there are many infertile couples who want a newborn.
Maybe this young mom made some bad choices but she did give this child a chance at life and hopefully a loving home which obviously she felt she could not provide.
Mary Duval | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Missing the Point
You’ve missed my point, Ann. Religion as an organized group does not make the laws. The laws are, however, made by people with religious beliefs. In this case, by exluding people with religious beliefs from having a say in the law, you have reduced the law making body to a small group of people who no longer represent the country as a whole. Separation of church and state is referring to an organized religious body interfering in government, it makes no claim that citizens of this country need to be godless. In fact, we were organized as a nation “under God.” Perhaps you should read about ALL of the founding fathers and the multiple genereations of god-fearing patriots that followed them. Don’t criticize the religious heritage of our nation because of personal beliefs, or lack thereof. It is that heritage that has made the US what it is today.
Neil | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Religion is a red herring
I am not stopping anyone from anything. I am not “excluding people with religious beliefs in having a say in the law”….speak away. But we aren’t talking about making new laws – the right to abortion is legal. I am the one being inclusive, not exclusive….the law exists – I am arguing for including it in information for pregnant women – not excluding it. I have never, in my comments here criticized the government, founding fathers or heritage. I am the one sticking up for what they said and did. However, if I want to criticize the religious heritage of this country, or any country, I have that right and when you tell me not to, you are attempting to undermine freedom of speech which I find totalitarian and unpatriotic. I ask you not to tell me what I can or cannot say or criticize or praise. There is a lot of disinformation about the history of our country and religion.
Here’s one of the founding fathers on religion: Thomas Paine said:
“I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any Church that I know of. My own mind is my own Church. Each of those churches accuse the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all.”
Ann | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Gone Baby Gone
Everyday we hear the same story. Chld abandoned, abused, murdered. When it’s going to be over. young adults should be held responsible for their actions. Despite the fact that this young lady may have been confused at the time. She knew enough that she was not ready to be a mom. Everyone learns at different times in their lives how to become a parent. Not everyone has parental genes. Leaving the baby with a stranger, was not a smart thing. Although this young lady saw the stranger as responsible. Long shot nowadays. Have we as responsible adults become cautious for our own good or to protect the innocent children? Should we protect the young lady? The baby is going to endure hopefully a quick adoption. but the young lady should be responsible for her actions. Everyone drops the ball in this situation. The parents, the hospital, the system. Gone Baby Gone should be a phrase that should put alarms out to all Cities that as long as we permit teenagers not be held responsible for having and abanding their babies but be tried as adults for murder this syndrome will continue to grow. I hope this young lady is found and some kind of action is taken so that maybe she and all after her will know that no matter how confused and young. There is help out there. Look for it, at school, church and if not their parents, friends’ parents, community centers. Stop this cycle.
Anita | 1 year, 11 months ago
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Fine Print
Shall this scared to death 16 year old read all of the fine print to the Safe Surrender Law? Shall she, having recently given birth, know all of the rules and regulations to these laws? What is more important? The law or the safety of this child? I cannot fathom a world where we are so caught up in these details that we would rather take a chance this baby end up in a dumpster or worse then in the hands of a stranger at a bus stop.
Having been the 16 year old mother of a baby, I feel for this child. She had to be scared and she did the most amazing thing by letting this baby have a beautiful life.
KC | 1 year, 11 months ago
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