Criminal defense across Denton County and Collin County

Safe Haven Law- Law Offices of Tim Powers, Denton, Texas

Law Offices of Tim Powers, Denton Texas

940.483.8000 940.483.8000

Last week we talked about the tragic story of Justin Ross Harris and how he was charged with felony murder and cruelty to a child in the second-degree. We talked about his actions and possible motives for his actions. In our blog , we also talked about what the Texas law says about these actions and medically speaking what can happen if a child is left alone in a car. Above all, we talked about precautions to take in order to avoid this incident. This week, I would like to talk about something a little bit different.

Recently in the media, we have heard a great deal of babies being neglected by their parents. We hear of babies being disposed in garbage cans or behind allies. Unfortunately, studies show that before 1999, around 33 newborns were abandoned here in Texas. One-third of those newborns did not survive. Child welfare agencies were alarmed by these numbers and decided it was time to try to save those newborns.

According to U.S. Legal, “ Texas was the first state to enact laws which legalized parent’s newborn abandonment under certain specific conditions.” Nearly all states jumped the wagon with this law and enforced it into their own legislatures. This law became known as the Safe Haven Law / Baby Moses Law.

This law is a way to protect infants from abandonment. A parent is allowed to bring an unharmed newborn baby to any location permitted by the law and leave them there, no questions asked. This law also protects the parent’s anonymity, and prevents the parent from being prosecuted for abandonment or neglect.

According to the Department of Family and Protective Services , in order for a parent to do this, they must meet a few conditions.

The infant must be 60 days old or younger.

They can only be taken to a location permitted by the law such as: any hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical services (EMS) station in Texas.

You must give baby to an employee and say you want to leave your baby at a Safe Haven.

After a child is left in a safe haven, the child receives medical attention and is then placed with an emergency provider. Having children is a huge responsibility, and some people are not ready to bring a new person into the world. If that is the case, understand you have options. The Safe haven/ Baby Moses Law is a safe and legal way to handle the situation.

http://safehavenlaws.uslegal.com/safe-haven-laws-overview/

https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Protection/Keep_Children_Safe/baby_moses.asp

http://www.babymosesdallas.org/

If you are seeking aggressive criminal representation by an experienced criminal defense attorney for your Denton County criminal case or arrest in Denton County, contact the offices of Tim Powers today. There is no charge or obligation for the initial consultation. 940.483.8000

*Tim Powers is an attorney licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas. Nothing in this article is intended to be legal advice. For legal advice about any specific legal question you should directly consult an attorney. Criminal Defense Lawyers with Unparalleled Passion for Success Providing Quality Representation for your Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Corinth, Highland Village Dallas, Plano, McKinney, Denton County, Tarrant County, Collin County, or Dallas County criminal case