Father abandons his nine children under US law

TEN children ranging in age from one to 17 were left at hospitals on Wednesday under Nebraska’s unique safe haven law, which allows caregivers to abandon not only infants but also teenagers without fear of prosecution.

Nine of the children came from one family. The six boys and three girls were left by their father at Creighton University Medical Centre’s emergency room. An unrelated 11-year-old boy also was surrendered.

The law, which went into effect in July, was initially intended to protect infants, but was amended to include the word “child”, which some have interpreted under Nebraska law to mean anyone under the age of 19.

At least 14 children have been abandoned since the state’s new safe haven law took effect.

The children are fine, said Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Kathie Osterman said. She didn’t know why their father had left them.

Under previous law, a parent who abandoned a baby could have been charged with child neglect or abandonment, both misdemeanours, or child abuse.