BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County's Safe Surrender program allows mothers to anonymously give up their newborns at hospitals or fire stations, but many people don't know the details of how the process unfolds after a baby is surrendered.
Kristy Torres, a human services program specialist with Kern County Human Services and chair of the Safe Surrender Coalition, said the program is designed to protect both mother and child while keeping the process as simple as possible.
"This program is completely anonymous. So, there is no names, the mom doesn't have to report any information. She solely just has to inform them that she would like to safely surrender," Torres said.
Since 2006, 105 newborns in Kern County have been safely surrendered. While babies can be brought to any fire station or hospital, most cases happen inside hospitals after a mother gives birth.
Mothers have up to 3 days after birth to surrender their baby. When they do, the mother and child receive matching ID bracelets.
"And the baby continues to stay in the hospital, has a medical clearance to make sure the baby is safe and is healthy, and continues to be monitored," Torres said.
The matching bracelets serve an important purpose beyond identification.
"After a baby is safely surrendered, the mothers have 14 days to maybe change their mind or return. So that's how we are able to track which baby is with which mother safely surrendered the baby," Torres said.
After the baby receives medical clearance, the child is placed into a pre-adoptive home through the county. Once the 14-day period ends, the adoption process can begin.
Last week, the department held a press conference to raise awareness, inviting families who have adopted Safe Surrender children to share their stories. Stacie Munoz, a recipient of a Safe Surrender child, spoke about what the program has meant to her family.
"We just got to be the lucky people that were chosen. I imagine it was a painful decision, and we are eternally grateful, from every cell in our body, to her," Munoz said.
For more information, people can call 2-1-1 or visit the Kern County Department of Human Services website.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
