If you have a newborn that you're unable to care for, you can bring your baby to a designated safe place with no questions asked. The safe haven laws—also known as Baby Moses laws—give parents who are unable to care for their child a safe and legal choice to leave their infant with an employee at a designated safe place—a hospital, fire station, free-standing emergency center, or emergency medical services (EMS) station. When left at such a designated safe place, your baby will receive medical care and be placed with an emergency provider.
In Florida, the Safe Haven Law allows parents who are unable to care for their newborn to leave the baby at a designated safe place without fear of prosecution. These safe places include hospitals, fire stations, emergency medical services (EMS) stations, or any facility that falls under the definition of a 'safe haven' as per Florida statutes. The law applies to infants up to 7 days old. When a baby is left at a safe haven, the staff are required to provide any necessary medical care and will contact the Department of Children and Families to ensure the child is placed with an emergency child care provider. The parent relinquishing the child will not be pursued for abandonment under Florida law, provided the baby is unharmed and the safe haven procedures are correctly followed.