Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA)

April 27, 2004
Section: Editorial
Edition: Home; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Page: A10

OUR OPINIONS: Spread word to protect newborns
   Staff

Strangers christened him "Matthew Christian" and buried him Saturday at Gwinnett Memorial Park in Lawrenceville. No one knows how long the 5-pound newborn lived before he was found dead on a roadside in Walton County. No one knows who his parents are, but police are looking for them.

This shouldn't keep happening. Every year, a handful of newborns are abandoned in trash cans, in restrooms and on roadsides.

Like many states, Georgia adopted a law in 2002 allowing parents to drop off unwanted babies who are no more than a week old at a police or fire station, health facility or other safe place without prosecution. It's called the Safe Place for Newborns Act, but clearly, the people who need to know about it don't.

"There's a lack of knowledge because no money was set aside to do community education," said Margaret Freeman, founder and director of the Hannah Angel Center in DeKalb County, which provides counseling and services to unwed mothers. She and others helped plan baby Matthew's funeral.

While the law is a good start, more needs to be done. Rep. Judy Manning (R-Marietta) says the bill called for a state hotline to be established. To date, that hasn't happened.

"We need public service announcements and information in doctor's offices," Manning said. She noted that in the past two years, about 20 mothers statewide have left their babies with authorities, who turn them over to the state for adoption.

Young women faced with an unplanned pregnancy don't always think clearly. In many cases they panic, especially if they don't have family support or counseling, says Freeman, whose organization has helped bury four abandoned babies.

Every one of us has a responsibility to pay attention and act when we notice a friend or family member who is behaving strangely or experiencing an abrupt weight gain. We can't afford to pretend it doesn't happen, and we should be outraged when it does.

"These women act out of fear and desperation because they have nowhere to turn," said Freeman. "They need support so they can make a proper decision." With counseling and education, that decision won't be to abandon a baby on the side of a road.

Copyright 2004 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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