The 18-year-old Cascade High School student, who allegedly abandoned her newborn child in an apartment complex trash bin in late March, later told police that she panicked after giving birth to the child in the shower.
The child survived and is healthy and in protective custody. The woman, since identified and arrested, now faces a felony charge for abandoning the infant.
A law passed by the Washington Legislature 14 years ago could have protected both the safety of the child and the future of the young woman, as it has more than 50 times since it was adopted. The Safety of Newborn Children Law allows for infants up to 72 hours old to be left with personnel at a hospital emergency room, a fire station during its hours of operation or a federally designated rural health clinic during its hours of operation. As long as the newborn has not been harmed through abuse or neglect, the parent is guaranteed anonymity and cannot be charged with abandonment. The mother is asked to provide what details she can about the birth and other medical history.
But as this and a similar abandonment of a newborn in Marysville in 2006 demonstrates, the option provided by the law needs greater publicity.
“If a young woman knows this safety net is out there, she has the information in front of her to make a decision that’s right for her and the baby,” said Mike Morrisey of Baby Safe Haven New England.
Massachusetts was one of the last states to pass a law similar to Washington state’s. Texas was the first in 1999. But Morrisey believes the Massachusetts law has had a better rate of success in preventing abandonments through a concerted effort to reach out to young women — and young men — between the ages of 18 and 24, who are most likely to panic and abandon children following a hidden or surprise pregnancy.
Relying on a young spokeswoman adept at communicating to her peers, Baby Safe Haven New England has made use of radio and social media, including YouTube, to make sure those in their teens and 20s know about the law and aware of their other options, including adoption and aid from social services, Morrisey said.
The message is important, but that the person delivering the message is a peer may be more important, he said.
As well-meaning as they may be, older adults, particularly those in their 50s and 60s, who are typically responsible for such campaigns, may not be the most effective in communicating with young adults.
Dave Spalding, president of the Bothell-based Safe Place for Newborns of Washington, doesn’t disagree. It took his daughter’s participation at a Safe Place meeting to make that point clear to him.
“We are mostly a group of retired people, except for three of us, one of which is my daughter, who set us geezers straight,” Spalding said, encouraging them to use social media platforms to reach teens and young adults.
Annie Spalding, 39, now runs the group’s Facebook page.
But, Spalding said, the group is using many avenues, including working with school counselors and nurses to increase the visibility of options available. Spalding said they’ve also talked with school officials and lawmakers about making information about the law available through health curriculum in middle schools and high schools.
During this year’s legislative session volunteers with Safe Place for Newborns talked with lawmakers about extending the period of time allowing a woman to leave an infant at a hospital, fire station or health facility from the current three days to seven days. No legislation resulted, but the group will try again next year, Spalding said.
Spalding, a retired Seattle firefighter, is less supportive of a suggestion to add police officers to those who could accept an infant. In instances when the mother has a drug problem, Spalding said, involving an officer could discourage that mother from using the law.
Safe Place for Newborns of Washington’s efforts to publicize the law and connect young pregnant women with help rely on its volunteers and on donations.
The nature of volunteerism in America makes it reliant on older adults and retirees who have the time to devote to their communities. Their experience and knowledge is invaluable to countless nonprofit advocacy and community organizations. And it would be foolish to discourage that generosity of time and effort.
But more can be done to encourage teens and young adults to get involved, particularly in work where their voice needs to be heard by their peers. And when they do volunteer, adults need to listen.
The safety net is in place to save infants and young pregnant woman. That message has to reach everyone.
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