Legally ABANDON your kid up to the age of EIGHTEEN in Nebraska

I was just watching the news tonight and heard they have been discussing the safe haven law and how they need to lower the age limit. I think they are trying to pass the law that the age limit must be 30 days old or less. The headline read "30 day age limit bill advanced". I can't believe they made the age limit 18!! What were they thinking?! Did they think that no one in their right mind would drop off anyone but a baby? They need to start facing reality then. That's so sad that parents would actually drop off a child of any age. I would never even imagine abandoning my child.

wow that is absolutely crazy, never heard of such a thing before.

I would certainly hope that the parents who do this are REALLY having a hard time taking proper care of these children. I can't even imagine what those poor children feel. It's a terrible, terrible thing. There are other resources out there to help parents who are having a hard time. They need to make sure that information about those other services is out there where parents can see it. Maybe that would help prevent some of this. You are right though, with the economy the way it is right now it makes it much more likely that things like that will happen.

Wow, I never knew that the law is able to allow people to abandon their child. I mean, they even allow it in the first place is something I cannot imagine. Why would a state allow a parent or guardian to abandon a child in the first place? Isn't it the responsibility of the parent to look after the child? IN the event a child is abandon, under this law, will the relevant authorities spend time to look for the child's parents or guardians? Who is going to care for the abandon child? Sigh... it is sad isn't it?

I have been hearing about this for a while. It is horrifying, and there is NO excuse for it! I do think that the law is good to a point, maybe a year--max, but mostly I'd think it would be like a teenage girl is pregnant and decides to deliver the baby, then takes the baby to a safe haven location, that is a great thing, because I am very much for adoption--in cases where the mother can't or won't take care of their baby. But much over 1 or 2 years of age you are risking that the kid might remember that they weren't wanted, and that is heartbreaking. Even worse, the teenagers being left--talk about messing up a person! I wasn't a "bad" teenager, but I had my issues, and I really don't think it would have helped matters if I would have been dropped off at a random hospital or something! It's a cop-out, even the "money's tight" excuse is a cop-out, most people who have kids aren't well off probably--but they don't get rid of their kids! I really hate the way things seem to be falling apart, it's sad. I mean, if you raise a kid to be a teenager, you only have like 4-5 years left, and in the case of 17 year olds being left, that is really odd! I don't know what age you have to be to get emancipated, but I'm pretty sure that a 16 or 17 year old could qualify, if not even younger. If I was in a situation where my parents were gonna ditch me, I would talk to whoever I had to, in order to report that. I think that is a form of abuse to leave a kid over a certain age at a safe haven! Talk about being scarred for life! It's just too sad, because getting rid of the kids isn't gonna make things better, it's selfish... especially considering all the American families who have kids and are having money problems, but they still keep their kids. It just shouldn't be an option! Children are for life, not only when money is good! Anyway... this is a very sensitive issue, I don't have kids--but I certainly hope to someday, and I think they are true treasures, sure--it's not easy to raise them, but nothing in life is easy.

I just can't believe this! How can someone do that? I don't care how bad the economy is, how can you just leave your kid somewhere? This isn't just putting a baby up for adoption. Then take the time to drive there to drop her is just....I don't even know. Words can't express how upsetting this is to me. Poor kids!

Honey were going to Nebraska!!! No more homework headackes...yea

This is crazy.. why would someone abandon their kid who KNOWS what's going on? LOL! I'm not laughing because it's funny, I am in disbelief. I do think there needs to be easily accessible help for families who are having problems with kids, such as extreme acting out behavior where the parent(s) and maybe younger siblings are at risk of being hurt physically by tantrums, outbursts, etc. Also, if older teens get into a power struggle with you, there needs to be some ultimatum, like having them picked up by a cop if they try to run away, or warned (with consequences) that they cannot treat their parents like doormats. Parents are responsible for kids but kids are not ENTITLED to privelages. They have to right to complain because we aren't an endless atm, source of transportation, clothes, entertainment, etc.

That is just awful! I could never imagine doing that to my child! That is just so wrong. I would hope that people would not abuse this. I can understand if it's an extreme situation and they absolutly could not take care of a child or had a serious issue health/mental but it just seems so extreme and harsh! I feel sorry for alot of children these days!

Hi, It is unbelievable!The family should be full of happy,but...I hope all the kid in the world can have a warm home!Thanks!

I better hide that link before my parents find it! It's so warm and cozy here! I don't know why I am so surprised that people actually do that.