Many Feel a Safe Haven Would Have Saved this Newborn
Sad news out of Louisiana this morning. Ciara Craig, 21, threw her newborn daughter into Lake Pontchartrain sometime Wednesday. She told the police that she considered an abortion, but it was too late for the procedure. She also told officials that she considered adoption, but for whatever reason, decided to dispose of the child instead. She stated that she was pregnant from a one-night stand and didn't know the father's name. She didn't want her parents to know she had been pregnant and had no interest in raising the child.
She was booked with first-degree murder. Officials are conducting an autopsy to determine whether the infant was alive or dead when she went into the lake. According to Craig, the baby was alive.
It seems that Craig gave birth at home, then grabbed a couple of towels and plastic trash bags and drove to Kenner's Laketown park. Witnesses told police that they watched her walk to the edge of the water and throw something into the lake. It's unclear as to if Craig knew of Louisiana's safe haven law, which would have allowed her to relinquish her baby without consequences.
While there are some issues with safe haven laws as it means the child would grow up without a birth family identity, and little way to seek birth family information later in life. It would have allowed this child to grow-up and have a life.
SOURCE:
Metairie mother accused of tossing newborn into Lake Pontchartrain never wanted baby
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I very much strive to be the “do not judge” type — but when it comes to people throwing away or abusing a child I reach my limit.
2 years ago, Holy Saturday night, a 25 year old who lives several blocks from me killed her baby. She had no money issues, was in a relationship, and had a family to support her. She gave birth and threw the baby in a trash bag and left it on her back porch. She lived one block from a church, within a 10 block radius there are about 7 churches, a firehouse, a police station — all safe havens in our city.
She’s still awaiting prosecution. Every time I walk past her house I ask God to help me forgive her. My heart has yet to be fully reconciled, though.
The thing about the safe haven laws is that the women that murder their newborns…. they can’t be in their right minds. There has to be something wrong with you to kill another person, I truly believe that. I don’t see that a safe haven would even be in these women’s minds.
We’ve had several babies killed here since our safe haven law was passed. It isn’t working like it was intended at all.