Under a new Georgia law, which took effect July 1, the Department of Human Services will develop a sign to post at medical facilities, police or fire stations, denoting these areas as safe places to drop off a newborn without facing criminal charges, according to News Channel 6.
The law seeks to educate Georgia residents on appropriate places to drop off a baby. In 2017, Georgia reported 478 abandoned babies — the second largest figure in the U.S., according to information from The Hope Box, a nonprofit group, cited by News Channel 6.
"If you have to do it, you can do it without fear of persecution," Savannah Battalion Chief told News Channel 6. "You might drop off a child and the guys are off performing other duties and no one is there and that child could sit out there for hours so until we're notified and the best way is to call 911; we can send someone back to that station and secure that child and call authorities from that point."
Some states, such as Indiana, have also legalized Safe Haven Baby Boxes.. When a baby is placed inside the box, the door flap shuts and locks, triggering a silent alarm that summons a rescue team within five minutes.
Georgia's health department did not disclose a timeline for standardizing the new drop-off sings, and no plans have been discussed about adopting the Safe Haven Baby Boxes.
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