Julie Hong
OMAHA (KPTM)- A mother crosses state lines, only to leave her son behind. It's the second out-of-state Safe Haven case here in Nebraska. It has state and community leaders worried about the impact on abandoned children. It was a 12-hour road trip from Detroit to Omaha. State leaders say a Michigan mother drove 724 miles just to abandon her 13-year-old son under Nebraska's Safe Haven law.
"It is our understanding that was the intent of their visit to Nebraska," says Nebraska's Director of Children and Family Services, Todd Landry. The boy remains in protective custody at an emergency shelter and is said to be fine. "The child does not appear to be or was not in any immediate danger of being harmed any way shape or form," says Landry.
But child advocates say abandoned children, especially older ones, are far from fine. "You could imagine being a child and your parent asks you to go to a hospital and they just drive away, what feelings that would create for the child," describes Project Harmony Executive Director, Gene Klein.
Most of the children left under Nebraska's Safe Haven will eventually come to Project Harmony for medical check ups, interviews and evaluations. Its executive director says clearly some families are struggling. "This speaks to how deep families have been in these situations, but I don't think it's the right solution," says Klein. He says there has to be a better alternative than deserting a child. "It's probably the most feared thing for any child to be abandoned and left."
State leaders say lawmakers need to do something. "There is a time and a place and purpose for Save Have laws. I believe that applies here in Nebraska but currently the one we have now it needs to be modified," says Landry. The boy's mom is still in Nebraska. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Douglas County Attorney are working with Michigan officials to resolve the issue. It's still not clear what role the father played in the abandonment or if the parents could face charges in Michigan.
