Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Doing The Right Thing Even When It Hurts

In sharp contrast to the tragic story from earlier, a woman in Chicago brought her baby to a fire station and said she was unable to care for him.  Under the Safe Haven law, an infant under 30 days old can be brought in.  This child was older, but firefighters kept him and followed procedure, sending him in an ambulance for an evaluation after the mother said goodbye.


The young woman was only 19, and said she couldn't take care of him anymore.  This wasn't a decision she came to easily.  She was shaken and upset, and watched closely at how her child was handled.  When examined, the boy was in perfect health and had been well cared for.


Nobody mentioned the law only covered 30 days or younger, for fear they would scare the young woman away.  They told her where to find him if she changed her mind, and with an amazing amount of compassion and kindness did all they could to help.


Stutz said he couldn't help thinking about his own family, his wife with his children when they were infants. “That must be the last thing she would have been doing, giving up the baby,” he said. “But we don't know the circumstances.”


No, we don't.  But she did the best she could and she did it the right way.  Unlike the little girl I posted about this morning, this little fellow will have a chance.

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