On Monday August 17, 2014 at approximately 7:30 a.m., the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a woman who said that she was approached by a stranger who wanted her to take an infant from her. The caller said that she did not want to take the infant from the stranger.
The caller would not give any additional details, and subsequently said that she would go to the Douglas Police Department to take the child to them.
Approximately fifteen minutes later, a woman entered the Douglas Police Department station and said that she did not want the female child, who was determined to be a newborn and possibly only several hours old. Douglas medics responded and transported the child to a local hospital to be assessed before Child Protective Services responded to take custody of the baby.
Douglas Police completed report that the baby is doing well. No charges are pending against the woman who was determined to be the mother of the infant.
Arizona Safe Haven Law, ARS 13-3623.01 states in part:
A. A person is not guilty of abuse of a child pursuant to section 13-3623, subsection B solely for leaving an unharmed newborn infant with a safe haven provider.
B. If a parent or agent of a parent voluntarily delivers the parent’s newborn infant to a safe haven provider, the safe haven provider shall take custody of the newborn infant if both of the following are true:
1. The parent did not express an intent to return for the newborn infant.
2. The safe haven provider reasonably believes that the child is a newborn infant.
C. The safe haven provider shall report the receipt of a newborn infant to child protective services of the department of economic security as soon as practicable after taking custody of the newborn infant. Child protective services shall report the number of newborn infants delivered to safe haven providers pursuant to section 8-526.
D. A parent or agent of a parent who leaves a newborn infant with a safe haven provider may remain anonymous, and the safe haven provider shall not require the parent or agent to answer any questions. A safe haven provider shall offer written information about information and referral organizations.
E. A safe haven provider who receives a newborn infant pursuant to this section is not liable for any civil or other damages for any act or omission by the safe haven provider in maintaining custody of the newborn infant if the safe haven provider acts in good faith without gross negligence.
Sheriff Dannels said that the Department was happy that the “child is safe and in good hands, and we appreciate the mother taking the actions that she took and getting the baby the help that she needed.”