Omaha, NE: Man "safely" abondons his 9 children at hospital

[RoadRage]

A little back story on this.. i live in Omaha, and this past summer a law was passed that allows parents to legally abandon a child(ren) at any hospital, fire station or police station without facing prosecution for abandonment. This law was INTENTED to protect newborn babies who were born to mothers who didn't want them. But when the law was written, no age was included - so right now it's legal to leave a child of ANY age. Here is the story:



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-old.

The father will not be charged because of the safe haven law which states any child under the age of 19 can be left at a hospital if they're in immediate danger.

This is the fourth case of children ages 11, 13, and 15 being dropped off at a hospital 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 on Thursday.

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.



Part of me thinks this dad should be smacked.. you had NINE KIDS for Christ sakes. The legislature is working to re-do the law to make it so that only babies can be dropped off. But, part of me thinks that if that was the case, what would happen to these 9 kids.. do they get abused, etc? I don't know the answer.. it just makes me kinda sick.

[TwilightGardener]

1. Yeah, I remember when they passed that law, I wondered who would

end up being the first parents to bring in older kids. Sad--my kids are teenagers now, and I can't imagine having raised them to that point and then saying, "you know what? I'm tired of you--get your things, goodbye and good luck."

[DS1]

2. mmmm, intented

:drool:

[Gin]

4. he can still "father" more kids......christ....this is disgusting

[Lyric]

3. I'd rather see parents permitted to drop off older kids

than to see those older kids forced to stay in a home that doesn't want them, and is likely to turn abusive and/or neglectful.

It's hard, but I really hope they don't change that law. If you must choose between the two, choose the option that at least helps keep kids from being abused and neglected.

[RoadRage]

15. I agree..

but how sad for those kids? 9 of them.. and now they'll probably be split up, etc. Just sad all the way around.

[Lyric]

17. I agree, it's heartbreaking.

But not as heartbreaking as abuse or neglect would be. *sigh*

I think it's also sad that there are parents out there who might use this law because they've lost a job/home/etc. and feel like they have no other choice. I don't know how the powers-that-be can sleep at night, knowing what their greed has done.

[LeftHander]

5. If he couldn't feed them....was sick himself...mentally ill....

House getting foreclosed on, lost job, I could see in this day and age it may of been the best way for him to get his children the immediate help they needed.

Sad...either way.

[guitar man]

10. I kinda thought that too

despair and desperation can lead a person to do a lot of things. :(

[midnight]

6. That prase that it takes a communtiy to raise a child. Well,,,,,

I don't have many details. This is such a sad story. The family is given away. Throughout history in horrible economic times the family is the first to reflect the horrible policies of the community and why they don't work.... Maybe this man lost his job and doesn't want his children to have to suffer anymore. We all should be sick of a president that tells us that money trumps peace, because this is what you get.

[aikoaiko]

7. I feel bad for the kids.

[holboz]

8. the father probably did those kids a favor...

It's hard to judge the situation without knowing what environment the kids are coming from. Incorporating a better support system for overwhelmed families, especially with more financial pressures , would not go amiss in this day in age.

[rucky]

9. I hope they get into a good foster home together.

[sickinohio]

11. Is that the statue that's on I75

near Cincinnati OH? Geez - every time I drive by that it reminds me of the Right Wing Nutjobs, and lately it's gotten even worse for me since Failin was selected as McLame's VP candidate, and now, unbearable for me since last night when KO showed the video of Failin being prayed for by a Witch Hunter preacher!! What sick people they are. "God, please, please, I pray that you not let Failin/McLame become our next residents of the WH"; Amen.

[Selatius]

12. The man obviously never saw a condom in his life.

You would think he'd stop after seeing how expensive having three kids are.

[Blue_Tires]

20. he needs to have the plug pulled on his testes asap

[Ilsa]

13. Yeah, it is messy, but at least those kids are safe, or they should be.

Maybe the family is becoming homeless. Maybe they are homeless and one parent is an alcoholic. Maybe they are just desperate.

I wish free sterilization was offered to people who feel like they have maxed out their family size. I know there is criticism of that idea being legislated, but if we want people to make decisions for themselves, then we also have to offer other alternatives, like sterilization, to help prevent deeper poverty. Not forced, just offered.

[WePurrsevere]

14. Perhaps we should ask "Why" before passing judgement. We don't know

the circumstances that drove him to do this.

It seems like it may be an act of desperation. With the economy in the toilet to the extent that it is I'm sort of surprised this doesn't happen more often.

[Vinca]

16. The headline in our local, small town newspaper on Monday

was of a 2 month old baby girl who had been murdered by her too young father. I don't care what the age of the kids are. If parents can't cope with it I'd rather have them in a safe place.

[originalpckelly]

18. "Aw come on, Ron, no one's actually going to drop someone that age off..."

Two families later...

[originalpckelly]

19. They ought to have a law for bad parents...

"Yeah, we don't want these parents anymore, can we leave them with you?"