In addition to protecting “dumpster babies,” Nebraska’s safe haven law allowing parents to leave a child at designated hospitals without being prosecuted has lead to teenagers being abandoned as well.

From BBC News:

One father left his four daughters and five sons, the oldest being 17.

His one-year-old daughter was the youngest of the 34 children abandoned between 13 September and 14 November, according to Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services.

Other families have driven to Nebraska from other States to drop off a five-year-old boy, an 11-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl.

One mother wrote to the Omaha World-Herald explaining her reasons for abandoning her son:

I did not leave my child under the safe haven law because I did not want to be a parent, nor did I not want the responsibility of being a parent.

I was using the law because my son is a danger to himself and the family at home. I also stated [to officials] I took him to the hospital I did because he needed more help than I am able to give him.

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