Listen Live
Donate
 on air
Schedule

KCRW

Read & Explore

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Events

Listen

  • Live Radio
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Full Schedule

Information

  • About
  • Careers
  • Help / FAQ
  • Newsletters
  • Contact

Support

  • Become a Member
  • Become a VIP
  • Ways to Give
  • Shop
  • Member Perks

Become a Member

Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

DonateGive Monthly

Copyright 2025 KCRW. All rights reserved.

Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
Cookie Policy
|FCC Public Files

Back to To the Point

To the Point

Nebraska Becomes Drop-Off Point for Unwanted Teens

All states have a safe haven law, aimed at providing a way for desperate new mothers to drop off their infants at a hospital without fear of prosecution for abandonment. But Nebraska's Safe Haven Law actually allows parents to drop off children as old as 17--and they are doing just that.

  • rss
  • Share
KCRW placeholderBy Judy Muller • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

All states have a safe haven law, aimed at providing a way for desperate new mothers to drop off their infants at a hospital without fear of prosecution for abandonment. But Nebraska's Safe Haven Law actually allows parents to drop off children as old as 17--and they are doing just that. Most of the 19 kids who have been dropped off at hospitals have been teens or pre-teens. In some cases, parents or grandparents are driving to Nebraska from other states, so desperate are they to get rid of extremely troubled kids. We hear more from Senator Arnie Stuthman, who authored the law, and Martha Stoddard, who's reporting on the story for the Omaha World-Herald.

  • KCRW placeholder

    Judy Muller

    University of Southern California

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Frances Anderton

    architecture critic and author

  • KCRW placeholder

    Katie Cooper

    Producer, 'One year Later'

  • KCRW placeholder

    Martha Stoddard

    Statehouse Reporter, Omaha World-Herald

  • KCRW placeholder

    Arnie Stuthman

    State Senator (R-NE)

    NewsNationalPolitics
Back to To the Point