Abandoning Children in Nebraska?

[3113]

A mother has driven for 12 hours across the US to abandon her teenage son in Nebraska, under a law allowing adults to leave children at state hospitals. The state's safe-haven law prevents prosecution for abandonment. But the head of Nebraska's health and human services division said dumping children was not an appropriate way for families to deal with parenting issues. The abandoned boy from Michigan, 13, is the 18th youth to be left since the law took effect in July. He is the second teenager from outside the state to be abandoned there. The first, a 14-year-old girl from Iowa, was returned home after being left by her grandparents.

The law is unique in that it allows any adult, not just parents, to drop off children of any age at any state-licenced hospital. The boy, who was left in Omaha, is said to be now in an emergency shelter. Local officials have spoken to the mother but did not reveal why she left her son. State officials have expressed the concern that the broad scope of the law could encourage abuses, and have called for it to be restricted to infants, for whom it was originally intended.

"I certainly recognise and can commiserate and empathise with families across our state and across the country who are obviously struggling with parenting issues, but this is not the appropriate way of dealing with them," said Todd Landry, head of the state's Department of Health and Human Services' division of children and family services. "This is not what we intended when we said we wanted to increase Nebraska tourism," he was quoted by the Omaha World-Herald newspaper as saying.

Mind boggling.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Yes, but you have to wonder about the circumstances. There's a big, sad story behind it, I have no doubt.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Yes, but you have to wonder about the circumstances. There's a big, sad story behind it, I have no doubt.

One of millions.

 

[3113]

Yes, but you have to wonder about the circumstances. There's a big, sad story behind it, I have no doubt.

Oh, no doubt. Which is why the mind boggles.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

And any parent, at times, would be tempted.

 

[Tricialen]

And any parent, at times, would be tempted.

Yes. But MOST parents only fantasize about it and would never do it. There are too many children who are not loved or understood. My heart breaks for them.

 

[3113]

And any parent, at times, would be tempted.

I think if a woman drives for 12 hours to do it, then it's gone beyond a mere temptation.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Yes. But MOST parents only fantasize about it and would never do it. There are too many children who are not loved or understood. My heart breaks for them.

I think if a woman drives for 12 hours to do it, then it's gone beyond a mere temptation.

Absolutely. The real wonder of child abuse is not that it is so common but that it is so rare. Some of my poor little beggers . . .

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I think if a woman drives for 12 hours to do it, then it's gone beyond a mere temptation.

Exactly. And it wasn't like the kid was an infant or toddler or even a grade schooler who wouldn't have understood. We have a pre-teen, who clearly knew something was going on. What did she say to him? We're going on a trip? Did she tell him where they were going? Imagine THAT conversation!

 

[SCcreampieLvr]

I have to wonder though if this is still better than what may be the alternative.

Just last week a 14 year old was found being kept in a basement and fed toast and a few ounces of water each day. She weighed something like 47 lbs.
Frankly- i would have much rather hears she had been abandoned to the hospital than tortured and starved.

I was brought up to never hit a woman. And i never have. But that mother- i would absolutely enjoy punching in the face repeatedly!

 

[Stella_Omega]

Exactly. And it wasn't like the kid was an infant or toddler or even a grade schooler who wouldn't have understood. We have a pre-teen, who clearly knew something was going on. What did she say to him? We're going on a trip? Did she tell him where they were going? Imagine THAT conversation!

At thirteen, the kid may very well have been saying "Can't wait till we get there!"

But we do not expect thirteen-year-olds to have the ability to think things all the way through. We expect that from adults.

 

[Guest]

Ya know the really sad part of this is that the law was intended to save infants and new borns... the safe haven was to keep babies from garbage cans and being dumped in fields. The makers of this particular law was never intended to be so that parents could dump ANY minor children there... as someone else already said... this was a teenager... what does that do to them mentally and emotionally.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Hawaii has a similar problem.

In 2007 the state agreed to provide medical coverage for all kids without insurance. So! many parents cancelled the medical insurance for their kids. Now Hawaii is terminating the program.