I came across the following article in the Republic today:
Today is Safe Baby Haven Day in Arizona to raise awareness about a state law that allows desperate parents to leave their unwanted newborns at designated places without facing criminal charges.
The Safe Haven law was passed in 2001 but advocates say it has been difficult to get the word out. Under Arizona law, an unharmed baby, 72 hours old or younger, can be left at a hospital, fire station, private welfare agency, adoption agency or church.
I'm a pretty strong advocate of this law. Our older daughter is adopted, and her birth mother was the kind of individual the law is aimed at. She was young, unmarried, in the country illegally, and unaware of the options available to her. She did the right thing, before this law was enacted, by taking our daughter to a hospital after giving birth at home. We give thanks every day that she made that choice.
UPDATE: 2pm
This makes me very sad, and makes me further appreciate the decision that my daughter's birthmother made:
Newborn baby found dead in Phoenix trash bin
Associated Press
Apr. 4, 2006 01:00 PM
The body of a newborn baby girl was found Tuesday morning in a trash bin in west Phoenix, police said.
A person going through trash made the discovery, Detective Tony Morales said. The infant doesn't appear to be a full-term baby.
The discovery came on Baby Safe Haven Day in Arizona, designed to raise awareness about a state law passed five years ago that allows women to leave their unwanted newborns at designated places without facing criminal charges.
The Jake Files 