Baby dumped in Charlotte McDonalds

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I love it when local stories make the national news and by love it I mean not really.

Anyway, an hours-old newborn was abandoned in a McDonald’s restroom in Charlotte, NC today.

A man took the infant into the women’s restroom and ran out of the building. A customer found the baby. The baby was rushed to the hospital, examined and was found to be healthy.

What’s the problem you ask? Doesn’t North Carolina have safe haven laws? Why yes, yes we do. The baby can be up to seven days old but must be left with a responsible adult. A McDonald’s restroom is not a responsible adult.

I wonder if the man was on his way to a responsible adult only to freak out at the prospect. Either way, police are saying that the mother could face charges.

Which leads to another issue. State safe haven laws are too confusing from state to state. In some states, a police station is a safe haven. In some states, it isn’t.

There needs to be a federal safe haven law.

Comments

7 responses to “Baby dumped in Charlotte McDonalds”

November 13, 2008

Ihavekidstoo

I live in Charlotte and have been to this McDonald’s. It’s NOT an underpriveledged area by any means. What’ boggles my mind is the witnesses who SAW the guy go into the women’s room with a naked newborn in a carrier and then run out the door and no one SAID ANYTHING TO HIM? Like, hey buddy what are you doing with that naked baby in the women’s room?

It seems like there have been a lot of these stories lately where bystanders don’t want to get involved. It’s really sad our society has come to this point where we not only have to have laws that allow people to legally abandon their babies, but that people can’t even get that right and at least leave the baby with someone who’ll take care of it.

Here’s today’s update on the story from the Charlotte Observer:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/breaking/story/347685.html

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November 14, 2008

Trench Reynolds

Thanks I. Personally I’d like to know the thought process of why he chose a McDonalds ladies room.

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November 14, 2008

Brian Layman

Well, it’s women that do all that baby stuff right? Where else would he think to leave a baby?

The sad thing is that this is more paternal involvement than many kids get…

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November 15, 2008

EchoedMemory

Hmm…. maybe he left it in a McDonald’s ladies’ room because he knew it would be found quickly?
McDonald’s = hundreds of customers daily.
Ladies’ Restroom = constant traffic.

It’s a thinker. If he cared that much to put that much thought into it, why abandon the baby to begin with?

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December 8, 2008

Cherry

Safe Place laws are so screwy – McDonald’s is a safe place but again, in NC, you’ve got to actually hand the baby to a responsible adult – maybe the baby’s parent’s didn’t know this. However, I do not feel these parents should be charged with anything – the baby wasn’t put in a trash bag and hurled in the dumpster. Or beaten to death. Or drowned in the toilet. His parents thought enough about him to leave him where he would be found and cared for. Thank God for that.

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December 19, 2008

Kat

Child will find a loving home, GOOD.

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January 18, 2009

Hester Goggins

Something bad COULD have happened!

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