OMAHA, Neb. -- Two more teenagers have been abandoned at Nebraska hospitals under the state's much-criticized safe haven law, bringing the number of mostly older children dropped off to 26 since July, authorities said. The teens, both 16, were left at separate hospitals, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
...Nebraska was the last state to enact a safe-haven law, which is intended to protect unwanted newborns from being abandoned. Some have interpreted the state's law to mean children as old as 18 can be abandoned because it uses the word "child" and doesn't include an age limit.
Health and Human Services officials, however, say they will not take in any children older than 17.
The Legislature plans to tackle the issue at a special session on Nov. 14. Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood said he'll introduce a bill establishing a 3-day-old age limit.
Don't begin to think for one moment that this isn't the most tempting thing that's come to my e-mail in ninety-four forevers. My birthday's November 14th. It's a Friday. I could take that day off work and be in Omaha in ten hours.
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