Visit our Circulation department for print subscription information. The mitigating circumstances surrounding the tragic discovery Friday of a deceased newborn in an Amarillo Dumpster have yet to be determined. The only certainty is that a dead child was found discarded in a trash bin. Perhaps this was an act of desperation. If so, it didn't have to happen.
State law provides an alternative.
Since 1999, any individual who leaves a newborn with an emergency medical technician or a medical facility will not be liable for prosecution under Texas' abandon baby law. For example, an individual can legally leave a newborn at a hospital or fire station without fear of prosecution. State lawmakers were at the forefront of this proactive legislation aimed at saving lives. The Legislature clarified this law during the last session, identifying specific places where a newborn may be left. At least 26 states have considered similar legislation, including Oklahoma.