Remembering Georgia’s Safe Haven Law

Published 7:17 pm Tuesday, January 7, 2020

It’s now been over a year since a deceased newborn baby was found inside a cooler on Boy Scout Road in Troup County.

Unfortunately, one year later, there are still more questions than answers. Investigators have sent the body to DNA Solutions, a private DNA analysis laboratory in hopes that it could possibly track down the baby’s relatives.

It’s a unique case. The baby was found inside of a bright, watermelon cooler. Authorities originally hoped someone would recognize the cooler and come forward about who it might’ve belonged to. However, the cooler is sold at several stores.

It’s a difficult story and everyone — especially investigators — want to find out who is responsible. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward and talk to the Troup County Sheriff’s Office.

In the meantime, this is another chance to remind everyone of the Safe Haven Law, which exists in part to avoid situations like this ever again.

Georgia, like all 50 states, has a Safe Haven law on the books. The law allows a mother or father to leave their newborn at a medical facility, fire station or police station in the state with no questions asked.

The only requirements to be in compliance with the Safe Haven law in Georgia are that the baby be left within 30 days of birth and that the newborn is left with an employee at the facility. As long as the parent meets this requirement, there won’t be any criminal charges.

The parent doesn’t even have to give identification, although Safe Haven facilities will collect any information provided. The nuances of the law do vary from state to state.