The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Saturday reminded the public of Georgia’s Safe Haven law for newborn babies following the positive identification of Baby India’s biological parents.
In the state of Georgia, a mother is allowed to leave a newborn baby, up to 30 days old, in the custody of an employee at a “safe haven location,” which includes police stations, fire departments and hospitals. Under this law, the mother is given immunity and is not required to show any proof of identity or address.
Staff members who are given the baby are immediately required to contact the Division of Family and Children Services, who will not only schedule a time to pick up the child but also reimburse any money spent on caring for the child in the meantime, according to the law’s verbiage.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Saturday outlined a reminder to the community regarding the Safe Haven law.
“For God's sake, don't leave a baby in such a position,” Sheriff Ron Freeman wrote. “No explanation/reason exists, on the face of this earth, for abandoning a baby without care.”
Their reminder follows the recent arrest of Karima Jiwani, 40, of Cumming, who has been allegedly charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, first-degree cruelty to children, aggravated assault and reckless abandonment in the widely known ‘Baby India’ child abandonment case.
In June 2019, a newborn baby was discovered abandoned in a wooded area of Forsyth County. The baby was found in a plastic bag after a series of unlikely events Sheriff Freeman called “divine intervention.”
A family at a nearby home had returned from a night out just before a storm was forecasted to begin. Members of the family decided to make a return trip to their car outside, when they had previously planned on waiting until the next morning, according to Freeman. While outside, the family members heard what they first believed to be a wild animal.
“But two teenage girls who couldn't let it go, because they thought it sounded like a baby crying, to a dad they convinced to go out in the middle of the night to check on a weird sound in the middle of the woods,” Freeman said during a press conference on May 19. “To the first responder, Deputy Terry Roper, being a dad like he's supposed to be, showing an infant what they should have been shown, which is compassion and care. And somebody who's going to take care of them.”
The baby, who became known as ‘Baby India,’ was rescued from the woods and is now four years old and is happy and healthy, officials reported earlier this month.
The incident has sparked an increased awareness of the Safe Haven law in Georgia, as officials strive to “stop this from happening somewhere else.”
“Georgia has a Safe Harbor law, many of you have seen that,” Freeman said. “In the first 30 days, you can leave a child at a hospital, a police station, a fire station, the sheriff's office and you can't get charged. In this case, Ms. Jiwani made no effort to leave this child, not only under Safe Harbor law, but in any place this child can be found.”
After an extensive four-year investigation, Jiwani faced a judge for the first time on May 20 and was denied bond, 11 Alive reported. Jiwani is said to be cooperating with the investigation.
Anyone receiving a newborn baby under the Safe Haven law is encouraged to contact Georgia’s 24/7, toll-free child protective services hotline at +1 (855) 422-4453.
