Fla. Stat. § 383.50 — Florida Code / Title XXIX / Chapter 383 / Section 383.50
383.50 Treatment of surrendered infant.
Status: in_force

(1) As used in this section, the term: (a) “Infant” means a child who a licensed physician reasonably believes is approximately 30 days old or younger at the time the child is surrendered under this section. (b) “Infant safety device” means a device that is installed in a supporting wall of a hospital, an emergency medical services station, or a fire station and that has an exterior point of access allowing an individual to place an infant inside and an interior point of access allowing individuals inside the building to safely retrieve the infant.

(2) There is a presumption that the parent who surrenders the infant in accordance with this section intended to surrender the infant and consented to termination of parental rights.

(3)(a) A hospital, an emergency medical services station, or a fire station that is staffed 24 hours per day may use an infant safety device to accept surrendered infants under this section if the device is: 1. Physically part of the hospital, emergency medical services station, or fire station. 2. Temperature controlled and ventilated for the safety of infants. 3. Equipped with a dual alarm system connected to the physical location of the device which automatically triggers an alarm inside the building when an infant is placed in the device. 4. Equipped with a surveillance system that allows employees of the hospital, emergency medical services station, or fire station to monitor the inside of the device 24 hours per day. 5. Located such that the interior point of access is in an area that is conspicuous and visible to the employees of the hospital, emergency medical services station, or fire station. (b) A hospital, an emergency medical services station, or a fire station that uses an infant safety device to accept surrendered infants shall use the device’s surveillance system to monitor the inside of the infant safety device 24 hours per day and shall physically check the device at least twice daily and test the device at least weekly to ensure that the alarm system is in working order. A fire station that is staffed 24 hours per day, except when all firefighter first responders are dispatched from the fire station for an emergency, must use the dual alarm system of the infant safety device to immediately dispatch the nearest first responder to retrieve any infant left in the infant safety device.

(4) Each emergency medical services station or fire station that is staffed with full-time firefighters, emergency medical technicians, or paramedics shall accept any infant surrendered to a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, or a paramedic, or surrendered in an infant safety device. The firefighter, emergency medical technician, or paramedic shall consider these actions as implied consent to and shall: (a) Provide emergency medical services to the infant to the extent that he or she is trained to provide those services; and (b) Arrange for the immediate transportation of the infant to the nearest hospital having emergency services. A licensee as defined in s. 401.23, a fire department, or an employee or agent of a licensee or fire department may treat and transport an infant pursuant to this section. If an infant is placed in the physical custody of an employee or agent of a licensee or fire department or is placed in an infant safety device, such placement is considered implied consent for treatment and transport. A licensee, a fire department, or an employee or agent of a licensee or fire department is immune from criminal or civil liability for acting in good faith pursuant to this section. This subsection does not limit liability for negligence.

(5)(a) An infant may be left with medical staff or a licensed health care professional after the delivery of the infant in a hospital if the parent of the infant notifies such medical staff or licensed health care professional that the parent is voluntarily surrendering the infant and does not intend to return. (b) Each hospital of this state subject to s. 395.1041 shall, and any other hospital may, admit and provide all necessary emergency services and care, as defined in s. 395.002, to any infant left with the hospital in accordance with this section. The hospital or any of its licensed health care professionals shall consider these actions as implied consent for treatment, and a hospital accepting physical custody of an infant has implied consent to perform all necessary emergency services and care. The hospital or any of its licensed health care professionals are immune from criminal or civil liability for acting in good faith in accordance with this section. This subsection does not limit liability for negligence.

(6) Except when there is actual or suspected child abuse or neglect, any parent who surrenders an infant in accordance with this section or brings an infant to an emergency room of a hospital and expresses an intent to surrender the infant and not return has the absolute right to remain anonymous and to leave at any time and may not be pursued or followed unless the parent seeks to reclaim the infant. When an infant is born in a hospital and the mother expresses intent to surrender the infant and not return, upon the mother’s request, the hospital or registrar must complete the infant’s birth certificate without naming the mother thereon.

(7) A parent of an infant surrendered under this section may claim his or her infant up until the court enters a judgment terminating his or her parental rights. A claim to the infant must be made to the entity having physical or legal custody of the infant or to the circuit court before whom proceedings involving the infant are pending.

(8) Upon admitting an infant under this section, the hospital shall immediately contact a local licensed child-placing agency or alternatively contact the statewide central abuse hotline for the name of a licensed child-placing agency for purposes of transferring physical custody of the infant. The hospital shall notify the licensed child-placing agency that an infant has been left with the hospital and approximately when the licensed child-placing agency can take physical custody of the infant. In cases where there is actual or suspected child abuse or neglect, the hospital or any of its medical staff or licensed health care professionals shall report the actual or suspected child abuse or neglect in accordance with ss. 39.201 and 395.1023 in lieu of contacting a licensed child-placing agency.

(9) An infant admitted to a hospital in accordance with this section is presumed eligible for coverage under Medicaid, subject to federal rules.

(10) An infant surrendered in accordance with this section is not deemed abandoned or subject to reporting and investigation requirements under s. 39.201 unless there is actual or suspected child abuse or until the Department of Children and Families takes physical custody of the infant.

(11) If the parent of an infant is otherwise unable to surrender the infant in accordance with this section, the parent may dial 911 to request that an emergency medical services provider meet the surrendering parent at a specified location. The surrendering parent must stay with the infant until the emergency medical services provider arrives to take custody of the infant.

(12) A criminal investigation may not be initiated solely because an infant is surrendered under this section unless there is actual or suspected child abuse or neglect.

History: s. 1, ch. 2000-188; s. 15, ch. 2001-53; s. 23, ch. 2001-62; s. 13, ch. 2007-230; s. 4, ch. 2008-90; s. 1, ch. 2024-213; s. 1, ch. 2025-17.