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'Secret Safe Place for Newborns' receives second baby at local hospital A newborn baby was brought to Grove Hill Memorial Hospital Tuesday morning by its mother and left there in the care of staff, said Amy S. Duke, president of A Secret Safe Place for Newborns, and an employee of District Attorney Spence Walker. The child was brought to the facility at approximately 7:30 a.m. The baby had been delivered at home Monday. "She [the mother] told the nurse she just wanted to give the baby to her," Duke said. "The nurse asked her if everything was OK, and she said yes." The mother was offered medical help and the chance to talk to a psychologist. One of the nurses also gave the young mother the name of her pastor but "she turned around and left," Duke said. A Secret Safe Place for Newborns is a non-profit agency established over two years ago to allow mothers to surrender babies to hospitals without fear of prosecution and to allow time for the mother to change her mind. Hospital officials are allowed to offer help but do not ask questions concerning why the baby is being surrendered to the program. This is the second baby the program has received at the Grove Hill hospital, Duke said. District Attorney Walker said he was glad the program is in place. "Two tragedies were diverted," he said of the two babies recovered through the program. "This mother made a wise decision" in brining her baby to the Grove Hill hospital, he said. "It is a desperate time for them [the mothers]," he acknowledged. The child is given a medical checkup by the hospital. After the baby is released by the doctor, it will be turned over to the Department of Human Resources. It will be placed in a foster home until the end of a 30-day period. "The mother has 30 days to come back (file a petition with DHR) and get the baby," Duke said. The baby that was surrendered to the local hospital in 2006 is now back with its natural parents. The Secret Safe Place program is available in Clarke, Choctaw and Washington Counties; six medical facilities are participating in the program. The program seeks to help newborns of parents who may be too immature, have poor economic or domestic conditions, or simply don't want the child. It could be parents who feel like they might harm the child, Duke said. The first baby helped under the program was surrendered in Chatom and then sent to the Grove Hill hospital for five days of observation. "Our main goal is to make sure these unwanted babies are safe and get a loving home," she said.
For more information concerning Secret Safe Place or to volunteer to help the program, call Duke at 1- 251-275-3144 or browse to www.firstcircuitalda.org.
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