Providing a safe haven for unwanted infants.
The purpose of the Safe Haven law is to protect infants from being injured or otherwise harmed due to unsafe and illegal abandonment by providing distressed parents a safe, anonymous option for surrender of their infant.
Illegal abandonment puts the infants’s life at risk, and as a result, the parents are legally punished. Safe Haven’s goal is to prevent the infant from being harmed and for parents to have a safe and legal option to surrender their child if they cannot care for him or her.
A distressed parent who is unable to care for the infant can safely, legally and anonymously forfeit custody. The only requirements include: the infant is younger than 30 days old, show no sign of abuse and is personally surrendered by the parent to a Safe Haven provider. Safe Haven providers include hospitals, law enforcement agencies, fire stations, and emergency medical services. Once the parent surrenders the baby, the parent is free to leave.
Staff will take immediate possession of a child who is or appears to be no more than 30 days old when:
- The child is voluntarily delivered to a Safe Haven provider by the parent.
- The parent does not express intent to return for the infant.
- When the child is delivered to the provider by another emergency agency.
Per NRS 432B.630, only parents may surrender a baby at a Safe Haven location.