DES MOINES, Iowa (Iowa Media Wire) — Last month, two infants born in Iowa were put in the custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the state’s Safe Haven Law.
According to a release, a baby girl, born on May 15, and a baby boy, born on May 26, were put in HHS’s care. This is the third such case in 2024.
Iowa’s Safe Haven Act is “an option for parents in crisis to who determine they cannot care for an infant up to 90 days old,” the release states. Parents can leave their child at certain locations, such as hospitals and fire stations, where they will be put into a foster home until they are adopted.
Since the law was enacted in 2002, a total of 70 infants have been declared safe havens, with 10 being put into HHS’s custody in 2023 alone.