Safe Baby Surrender
Those Poor Innocent Babies how could people do something like this. Take Loralei & Heather Simms for example. These 2 precious little girls were killed by their very own mother.
Loralei Sims June 5, 1986 to June 17, 1986
Heather Sims March 18, 1989 to April 29, 1989
Loralei Sims was a pretty little baby girl. And so was Heather Sims Loralei was born June 5 1986 her little life was ended on June 17 1986. According to Paula Sims while she was napping some intruder came into the house and took Loralei. The police were called out they did their investigation. Days later they found Loralei's body out in the woods near Paula's house. Loralei had been out in the elements wild animals also had taken their toll on Loralei. The police had their suspicions about Paula they just did not have the evidence at that time.
Heather's story is basically the same in nature by this time Paula had moved to a different house. She then gave birth to a son Randy. After Randy came Heather, once again the mother claimed a masked intruder came into the house (they had moved) knocked her out and when she came to, little Heather was gone. Randy was fine. Heather Sims's body was found in a black plastic bag inside a trash can. She was only 5 weeks old. An autopsy showed that she had been suffocated. Paula did in fact kill Heather while her parents were away, Paula had placed Heather in their freezer before placing Heather into a city park garbage can.
Paula Sims, then 26 years old, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. She had confessed to a friend that she was the one who hurt her daughers due to the fact that they were too much trouble.
California's Safe Surrender Baby Law
The Safe Surrender Baby Law (also known as the Safe Haven Law or Newborn
Abandonment Law) was signed into law by Governor Davis in September 2000 and
went into effect on January 1, 2001. The purpose of the law is to protect babies from
being hurt or killed because they were abandoned. The law allows a parent or legal
guardian to confidentially surrender an infant, three days old or younger, to any
hospital emergency room. As long as the baby has not been abused or neglected,
the person may surrender the baby without fear of arrest or prosecution for child
abandonment. No names are required and the parent(s) will not be subject to
prosecution for child abandonment. The baby will receive needed medical treatment
and be placed in an adoptive home.
You can help spread the word about this law. The following are answers to some
frequently asked questions:
What is the Safe Surrender Baby Law?
The Safe Surrender Baby Law allows a parent or person with lawful custody to
surrender a baby confidentially, without fear of arrest or prosecution for child
abandonment. This law allows for at least a 14-day cooling off period, which begins
the day the child is voluntarily surrendered. During this period, the person who
surrendered the child can return to the hospital to reclaim the child.
How Does it Work?
A distressed parent who is unable or unwilling to care for an infant can legally,
confidentially and safely surrender their baby within three days of birth. All that is
required is that the baby be brought to a hospital emergency room and physically
surrender the infant to any staff member. As long as the child shows no signs of
abuse or neglect, no name or other information is required. A bracelet will be placed
on the baby for identification. A matching bracelet will be given to the parent. The
bracelet will help connect the parent to the baby if the parent wants the baby back.
Are Hospital Emergency Rooms the only Location I can Surrender the Baby?
Yes. In San Diego County, the only location a baby can be safely surrendered is at
any Hospital Emergency Room. You may have heard that other counties have
designated other locations such as a Fire Department. This is not true in San Diego
County and the only authorized locations are Hospital Emergency Rooms.
Does a Parent Have to Give Any Information to the People Taking the Baby?
No. Nothing is required. Hospital personnel will give the parent a medical
information questionnaire designed to gather family medical history, which would be
useful in caring for the child. It is up to the parent if they wish to give any additional
information concerning the baby.
What happens to the Baby?
The baby will be examined and given medical treatment, if needed. Child Protective
Services will place the baby in a foster or pre-adoptive home.
What Happens to the Parent?
Parents who safely surrender their baby may leave the hospital emergency room or
other designated site without fear of arrest or prosecution for child abandonment.
Their identity will remain confidential and they will have the comfort of knowing their
baby will remain in safe hands. If during the 14-day cooling off period the parents
decide that they want to reclaim the baby, they can take the identifying bracelet back
to the hospital, where staff will provide information about the baby.
Why is California Doing This?
The purpose of the Safely Surrendered Baby Law is to protect babies from being
hurt or killed because they were abandoned.
You may have heard tragic stories of babies left in dumpsters or public toilets. The
persons who committed these acts may have been under severe emotional distress.
The mothers may have hidden their pregnancies for fear of what would happen if
their families found out. Because they were afraid and had nowhere to turn for help,
they abandoned their infants.
Abandoning a baby puts the child in extreme danger and it is illegal. Too often this
results in the baby's death. Because of the Safe Surrender Baby Law, this tragedy
doesn't ever have to happen in California again.
Safe Surrender Logo
The Safe Surrender Logo was adopted by the State for use in its Safe Surrender
Baby Law campaign, "No Shame, No Blame, No Names." The logo also serves as
uniform site marker, and will be displayed prominently at all designated Safe
Surrender sites. A new California law requires all designated safe surrender sites in
www.safesurrender.net
1-800-FOR-BABY
A result of abandoned babies being discovered in trashcans, dumpsters, public rest rooms, and other places, the controversial laws are geared towards mothers who may abandon newborns. The legislation allows women to relinquish newborns anonymously, with no questions asked, to healthcare providers, police officers, firefighters, or social workers, without fear of prosecution
In the three years since hospital emergency rooms began accepting unwanted babies with no questions asked, 56 newborns have been safely surrendered under the law -- but 98 have been found abandoned and alive, often in dangerous conditions.
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Selena
Friendship Times Edition - July, 2007
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