PHOENIX — Phoenix Fire Department officials say a newborn baby was brought to a station near 63rd Avenue and Indian School Road Monday morning for Safe Haven.
A woman who identified herself as a friend of the baby's mother said she brought the child to fire officials because the mother felt she could not care for the baby.
The mother reportedly asked the friend to take the baby to a Safe Haven location.
Firefighters at the station assessed the child and took it Phoenix Children's hospital for evaluation.
"The Phoenix Fire Department prides itself on being a Safe Haven provider in conjunction with the Arizona Safe Haven law. Phoenix Fire wants to remind the community that all of our 58 fire stations are Safe Havens for newborn infants and that a firefighter must be present to receive the child, as was the case this morning," fire officials said Monday.
According to its website, "Arizona’s Safe Baby Haven Law states that a person will not face criminal charges for physically handing over an unharmed newborn baby within the first 72 hours after birth with a Safe Haven provider."
Safe Haven locations include on-duty fire stations, EMTs and hospitals. Private agencies with Safe Haven signage will also accept babies. Some of those locations include churches, welfare organizations and more.
