Infant Safely Surrendered in Richland County Under Safe Haven Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Danielle Jones
803-898-7602
publicinfo@dss.sc.gov
Infant Safely Surrendered in Richland County Under Safe Haven Act
February 2, 2024 - Healthcare professionals at Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Richland County recently accepted an infant surrendered under Daniel's Law, the Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, on Thursday, February 1, 2024. The SC Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act provides a safe. legal option to surrender infants up to 60 days old at designated locations outlined by law.
The African American female infant was born on January 31, 2024 and weighed 7.031 pounds at the time of birth.
The infant was safely surrendered at the hospital after birth and is being medically evaluated at this time. When discharged, this infant will be placed in a DSS licensed foster home. Under the Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, Williamsburg County DSS, which reflects the mother’s county of residence, took custody of the infant.
Any person wishing to assert parental rights must do so at the Permanency Planning Hearing, scheduled for March 12, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. at the Williamsburg County Family Court, located at 147 West Main Street, Kingstree, SC 29556.
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Editor’s note: The Department of Social Services has made a dedicated page on the agency’s website regarding the history of Daniel’s Law in South Carolina with available data going back to 2009. This is the second Daniel’s Law baby surrendered in South Carolina during the 2024 calendar year.
DSS released a new series of public service announcement videos on Daniel’s Law in August 2023. To see the ads, please click here and here.
A safe abandonment such as this is a perfect time to remind the public that the SC Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act provides a safe, legal option to surrender babies up to 60 days old. For more information about the Safe Haven Act, known as Daniel’s Law, please click here. For a listing of crisis pregnancy care organizations, please see this brochure.
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