Father Leaves 9 Children Under Safe Haven Law

[JTFrog]

http://www.ketv.com/cnn-news/17553170/detail.html

OMAHA, Neb. -- A Creighton University Medical Center Nursing Supervisor told KETV NewsWatch 7 a man left all nine of his children at the hospital Wednesday night.

The children are between 1 and 17 years of age.

The father will not be charged because of the safe haven law.

This is the fourth case since it became a law in July.

In the wake of children being abandoned by their parents, Nebraska officials will try to clarify the new 'safe haven' law Wednesday.

Health and Human Services officials, adoption experts, and charity groups will hold a joint news conference to outline alternatives for families who are struggling with parenting issues.

Nebraska lawmakers said they may need to clarify the law, which was intended to protect newborn children, if a parent is overwhelmed.

Stay with KETV NewsWatch 7 as this story develops.

[grannie4peace]

1. that is so very sad!!

[malaise]

2. Damn

Sad is an understatement.

[shadowknows69]

3. Oh hell no

There should be no "safe haven" for that monster although apparently those kids might be better off now. Sadly they'll probably be split up in the foster care system.

[atreides1]

5. Why is he a monster again??

I read the article and without any specifics as to what his reasons may have been, resorting to name calling seems a little immature, don't you think?

[shadowknows69]

8. Hey if the guy thought he was legitimately saving the kids lives fine.

But you shouldn't sire that many children and then decide you're not equipped to be a father. Maybe I have a knee jerk reaction to these things. I'm adopted and I guess I have some abandonment issues.

[pnwmom]

12. If the kids are better off it will because the safe haven law worked.

Kids shouldn't have to live with a "monster."

[shadowknows69]

13. I agree with that, I just think there should be some liability for him

I'm assuming he'll at least have to pay support somehow?

[pnwmom]

16. The problem is that it wouldn't be a "safe haven law" if it had negative

consequences for the parent.

Maybe this father felt that he was, or was in danger of becoming, abusive. Or maybe he is suffering from depression or another mental illness.

I can understand your feelings about abandonment, and I feel for those kids. It certainly is a tragic situation that a person who couldn't handle being a father had so many children.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

4. Heartbreaking.

:cry:

[Blue Diadem]

6. I think we'll be seeing more of that.

My heart breaks for those kids.

[AndyA]

7. Those poor kids. How horrible it must have been for them to see their Father

walk away from them.

Some of them are likely too young to understand, but some of them will have that memory of their Father walking away for the rest of their lives.

Something has gone horribly, horribly wrong with people today. I just can't comprehend such things. :(

[shadowknows69]

9. Whether it's a horrible situation like this

Or just your run of the mill divorce situation. You never fully recover from having a parent walk away.

[comtec]

10. I'd be interested in knowing his reasons before I make a judgement

It could be he honestly thinks it's the best thing for his kids.
The economy is so bad, and we don't know if he just lost his job, or unemployment benefits.
There's no mention of the mother so it's possible shes already dead, and this was just the end of the line for him.
So I'd be interested in knowing his situation.
The 17 yo, and I imagine his/her sibling can probably apply to be emancipated and start their lives, possibly to take care of their siblings.

What a horrible situation this economy is creating, but consider this... it's this or possibly one of the many "Man kills family and self" stories. Personally this is better than mass slaughter of a family. *shrugs* either way it's a horrible tragedy.

[Blue_Tires]

11. if that guy who dropped them off was the biological father

then he needs to get snipped...in fact, that should be a condition of turning his kids over to the state...

[newfie11]

14. Where's the mother?

:shrug:

[Indenturedebtor]

15. All I have to say about that is that no one should have 9 children

NO ONE!

[HamdenRice]

17. Yet many DUers are saying a Great Depression would be a good thing!

You know, families abandoning kids, bread lines, etc., builds character. Didn't you see Seabiscuit?

:sarcasm:

[undeterred]

18. Unless we know the reason we can't judge him.

I am glad the children are safe and that he didn't kill or abuse them.

He may be a single parent who lost his job and is facing foreclosure. This may be the only thing he could think of that would keep his kids from being homeless.

[JTFrog]

19. UPDATE: He says he left them at hospital after wife's death left him overwhelmed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26902738/?GT1=43001

Dad who gave up 9 kids says he 'fell apart'
He says he left them at hospital after wife's death left him overwhelmed

OMAHA, Neb. - An out-of-work widower who abandoned nine of his children at a hospital under Nebraska’s new safe haven law said he was overwhelmed without his wife and just “fell apart.”

“I hope they know I love them,” Gary Staton told KETV. “I hope their future is better without me around them.”

-----------

Staton said his wife died early last year, shortly after delivering their youngest child. He said he quit his job because of his family responsibilities but couldn’t pay rent or utilities or take care of his kids.

“I was with her for 17 years, and then she was gone,” he said of his late wife. “What was I going to do? We raised them together. I didn’t think I could do it alone. I fell apart. I couldn’t take care of them.”