Newborn dropped off at St. Paul hospital; child advocates relieved

A newborn baby was dropped off early Saturday at Children's Hospital in St. Paul, left behind at the apparent request of its mother.

But there was no condemnation of the act -- far from it.

Though details were sparse Monday, the mother apparently decided to turn over the baby under the state's "safe haven" law, which allows a mother to safely and anonymously give up her unwanted newborn with no legal consequences.

The baby, which was healthy, unharmed and just 3 days old, was turned over to Ramsey County child protection services, authorities say.

Told about the baby Monday, Laure Krupp, executive director of Safe Place for Newborns, said: "Oh, lovely." Less than a year ago, she was among those saddened by the discovery of an infant girl's body in a marina north of Red Wing, Minn.

Allison Sandve, a spokeswoman for Children's Hospital, said Monday that the hospital could confirm a police report about the baby having been dropped off at the hospital. But other details, she said, such as whether it had been the mother herself, or her designee, who brought the newborn there, could not be divulged.

"Children's was a strong supporter of this law," Sandve said. "It is important that new mothers know that there are places they can take their newborns when the situation they are in makes it difficult or impossible to take good-faith care of a baby."

Krupp, whose organization promotes the safe haven law, said last April that an informal survey of Minnesota hospitals showed that at least 12, and possibly as many as 14, newborns had been dropped off at emergency rooms since January 2000.

Mothers in need of help can call a national 24-hour crisis hot line at 877-440-2229.

"The main thing mothers want to know is that the law is really true," Krupp said. "And they really want us to understand," she added, "that they're not a bad person."