AUSTIN, Texas — The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade – the landmark abortion case – has Texans wondering what's next.
The state of Texas has a Safe Haven law called "Baby Moses." If parents aren't able to care for their child, it allows them to leave the baby with an employee at a designated safe space.
The baby receives appropriate medical care and is placed with an emergency provider.
But if you're thinking of bringing your baby to a safe haven, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- The baby cannot be any older than 60 days and has to be safe and unharmed.
- You can take the baby to any hospital, fire station or EMS station. But you have to physically hand them over to an employee.
- The only question you may be asked relates to your family medical history, to make sure the child receives the proper care.
Babies taken to a fire station or EMS station may be taken to a hospital to receive medical care.
No one leaving an unharmed infant at a safe haven location will be prosecuted for abandonment or neglect under Texas law.
From 2018 to 2022 so far, 62 babies were surrendered using the Baby Moses law, with 21 of those in 2020, roughly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information, visit Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), Baby Safe Haven or The Baby Moses Project, or call the Texas Baby Moses Hotline at 1-877-904-SAVE (1-877-904-7283).
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