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State of Minnesota’s Safe Place For Newborn Law
Governor Jesse Ventura signed a Safe Place For Newborn Law on April 18, 2000, which allows a mother (or a person of her consent) to leave an unharmed newborn at a hospital emergency department without fear of prosecution or identification, if done within 72 hours following the birth of the child.
Because a newborn’s health is very fragile, the first few days of their life is extremely important. The law is designed to encourage mothers who do not want their baby the option to anonymously turn over the newborn to the hospital so that it can receive proper medical care. The law allows an individual delivering an unwanted newborn to exit the hospital without identification. The hospital must accept the child and notify a local welfare agency within 24 hours of the departure of the person bringing the baby to the hospital. According to the law, the newborn must not have any obvious injuries or illness in order for the hospital to accept it.
For more information about this law, contact the Safe Place for Newborns website at: www.safeplacefornewborns.org
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