Most New Yorkers Don’t Realize This Law Could Save A Baby’s Life

Police say a tragic case in New York could have been avoided if more New Yorkers knew about this 25-year-old law.

The arrest of a woman who allegedly abandoned her newborn at a busy Manhattan subway station is bringing New York's Safe Haven Law into sharper focus.

Queen's Mother Accused Of Leaving Baby At Penn Station

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Police report that 30-year-old Assa Diawara abandoned her baby girl Monday morning on a subway platform at Penn Station.

The infant was reportedly found wrapped in a blanket, her umbilical cord still attached.

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There are reports that she allegedly admitted to police that she left her child at Penn Station with the umbilical cord still attached.

NYPD

She was arrested near her Jamaica home on Wednesday and is now charged with abandonment of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

Heartbreaking Case Highlights 25-Year-Old Law In New York

This heartbreaking case is shining a harsh spotlight on a law that officials say every New Yorker should know, the Safe Haven Law.

Ban: These Baby Names Are No Longer Legal In New York

The Safe Haven Law has been on the books for 25 years and protects a parent who abandons a baby that's up to 30 days old.

The law is designed to protect both babies and desperate parents.

What Is New York’s Safe Haven Law?

NYPD

New York’s Safe Haven Law means a parent can legally and anonymously surrender an infant up to 30 days old at any hospital, staffed police station, or firehouse.

The are no names required, no questions, no charges.

That law exists so tragedies like the one in New York City don't ever happen.

Leaving a baby anywhere else, like a subway platform, parking lot, or public restroom, is not protected. It’s a crime.