BABY DUMP NEWS, November 28, 2007–v7 #48
November 28, 2007 – 8:28 am
BABY DUMP NEWS:
A WEEKLY E-CHRONICLE OF NEWBORN ABANDONMENT
INFANTICIDE,
SAFE HAVEN LEGISLATION
AND RELATED ISSUES
November 28, 2007–v7 #48
Distributed weekly by:
Marley Elizabeth Greiner, Executive Chair, Bastard Nation
Disclaimer: Some newspapers keep articles on 7-14 days (or less) free access and then forward them to paid archives. Please feel free to send articles and websites of interest to maddogmarley@worldnet.att.net
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READ: The Daily Bastardette, safe haven and adoption commentary,
http://bastardette.blogspot.com and www.myspace.com/maddogmarley
ANNOUNCEMENT:
I have been traveling and am once more attempting to catch up
***THIS WEEK***
ARIZONA–Woman arrested in death of newborn
PENNSYLVANIA–Grandmother charged in abandonment case
YEMEN–Abandoned childrens’ rights
….and more!
***STATES***
ARIZONA
Fox News, November 27, 2007
Arizona woman arrested as suspect in drowning death of newborn son in toilet
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,313323,00.html
MESA–Tiffany Lee Hecker, charged with 2nd degree murder and child abuse, in drowning death of newborn Jeremy Lee Davidson. Police say she gave birth in toilet, wrapped him in towels and placed him in trash. Later retrieved him and drove to hospital.
GEORGIA
Savannah Morning News, November 27, 2007
Abandoned newborn in good condition
http://www.savannahnow.com/node/405408
SAVANNAH–Update on New Vision Baptist Church case (BDN v7 #47). Details of discovery from church kids who found him.
WTOC-TV, Savannah, November 27, 2007
Hospitals only safe haven for abandoned newborns
http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7416245&nav=0qq6bVRy
SAVANNAH– Hospitals are only safe haven drop-off points; limited to protect health of baby. Debbie O’Connor, Memorial Health ER nurse manager says any hospital will take a baby with proper identification. Pictures.
WTOC-TV, Savannah, November 27, 2007
A look back–Savannah’s Baby Grace
http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7416520&nav=menu89_2
SAVANNAH–Update on Baby Grace case (BDN v2 #4). Review of case that spurred passage of GA’s SH law; found in dumpster in Jan. 2002. Now adopted and lives in N. Georgia. Debbie O’Connor says a baby can be left with no questions asked, If mother “leaves her newborn child in the physical custody of an employee, agent, or member of the staff of a medical facility who is on duty…and the mother shows proof of her identity.” Picture.
WTOC-TV, Savannah. November 28, 2007
Experts say fear may play a part in baby abandonment
http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7422780
SAVANNAH–Interview with Gwen Jenkins, dir. of Savannah Care Center, a “crisis pregnancy center.” Says fear motivates abandonment. Speaking of mother who left baby at church,, I’m afraid she delivered this baby all by herself. She carried the baby to term and left it where she knew it would be found and get help.” Believes mother is teenager or young adult. Urges women in “crisis pregnancy” to contact her.
INDIANA
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, November 27, 2007
Mom held after baby’s body found in box
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071127/NEWS07/71127009
PRINCETON–Vanessa Robinson, 22, held on $100,000 bond charged with neglect of a dependent causing death. Investigation began on March 15 after Robinson went to Vincennes hospital with abdominal pain. Doctors determined she gave birth recently, but baby was unaccounted for. Body found in basement. Comments.
PENNSYLVANIA
WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, November 27, 2007
Grandmother 35, accused of leaving born on home’s doorstep
http://www.nbc10.com/news/14696294/detail.html
ABINGTON–Update on Ablington case (BDN v7 # ). Jacqueline Bethea, 35 charged with endangering welfare of child; admits leaving baby on doorstep. Says she and daughter, 17, were unaware of daughter’s pregnancy. After baby was born at home while Bethea was at work, the two agree baby should be taken to hospital Bought baby clothes at Target but were afraid to go to hospital so they left him on doorstep because they mistakenly thought occupant was home. Police received anon, tip, checked Target surveillance gape and then Betha’s receipts. Picture.
Montgomery Life, November 28, 2007
Ferman urges use of “Safe Haven law”
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19067156&BRD=1306&PAG=461&dept_id=187828&rfi=6
ABINGTON–Montgomery County First Assistant SA Risa Betri Ferman urges SH use. Says SH is important “because sometimes people have children and they simply cannot care for them. Says young mother did the right things for baby but, “she then put herself in her own mother’s hands and it was her mother who let the bad decisons be made.”
***INTERNATIONAL***
ENGLAND
ArtInfo, November 28, 2007
London museum announces first Foundling Fellows
http://www.artinfo.com/articles/story/26194/london-museum-announces-first-foundling-fellows
LONDON–Musician Damon Albarn, sculptor Richard Wentworth, and author Jacqueline Wilson named Foundling Fellows.
INDIA
DNA, November 26, 2007
Cradles that saved 2,000 girls in TN
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1135518
CHENNAI–In recent years, about 2000 “cradle babies” left at state centers. Debate continues on whether or not program saves baby girls from infanticide or encourages abandonment, but there has been a dramatic decline in female infanticide and infant mortality rate in general since 2002 when the program was revived after several years’ hiatus. Tamil writer, Vaasanthi is troubled by program, “The scheme give parents the right to abandon their girls and that is not a comforting idea…The scheme, though effective, is not a permanent solution.”
Times of India, November 24, 2007
Newborn found in abandoned house
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Nagpur/Newborn_found_in_abandoned_house/articleshow/2566423.cms
NAGPUR–1-day old boy fuond abanodned n ramshackle house beside public toilet in slum. Baby taken to hospital.
SOUTH AFRICA
IOL, November 28, 2007
Abandoned newborn defies the odds
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20071128032942449C824839
JOHANNESBURG–Gardeners hear baby crying in Meredale veld and call for help. search team finds newborn Blessing, in plastic bag. Suffering from cold, baby taken to nearby townhouse for warm bath but was unresponsive. Paramedics kept her warm with body heat until reaches hospital Searcher Mulit Msibi, hopes to adopt Blessing.
YEMEN
Yemen Observer, November 27, 2007
Lawyers: Abandoned children in Yemen have the right to citizenship
http://www.yobserver.com/news-varieties/10013334.html
Long article on treatment of abandoned Yemeni children under civil and Islamic law. Many people find abandoned children and keep them as their own, including giving them their names, which opposes both laws. Foster parents need to report abandonment to police. Civil Affairs Authority give abandoned children names. Islam prohibits adoption for various reasons including inheritance disputes.
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