Infant Abandonment

The North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education (as mandated by the last paragraph in G.S. 115-548(link is external), 556(link is external) and 565(link is external)) provides the following infant abandonment (also known as infant safe haven or safe surrender) information to North Carolina's non-public schools as resource tools for school personnel, parents and students:

Questions & Answers(link is external) on this topic prepared by the North Carolina Bar Association(link is external)

The above Q&As are made available here with the understanding that the North Carolina Bar Association does not render legal advice or other professional services.  All original sources of authority presented therein should be independently researched in dealing with specific legal matters.  Note the pertinent North Carolina General Statutes below.  All Q&As presented above are courtesy of the North Carolina Bar Association web site which is responsible for the accuracy of the information.

The specific North Carolina General Statutes addressing this topic are:

The original 2001 North Carolina legislation officially enacting this legal concept can be viewed by clicking on House Bill 275(link is external).

Additional information is available from the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services(link is external).

The US Department of Health and Human Services(link is external) web site also provides information on this topic by state.

The 2007 House Bill 485(link is external) requires all North Carolina public school systems:  "To Ensure That Certain Students Receive Information Annually on Lawfully Abandoning a Newborn Baby. - Not later than August 1, 2008, local boards of education shall adopt policies to ensure that students in grades nine through 12 receive information annually on the manner in which a parent may lawfully abandon a newborn baby with a responsible person, in accordance with G.S. 7B-500." 

Note, however, that the last paragraph in sections 3, 4 and 5 of that bill each simply require that the North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education ensure that such information is made available to each North Carolina non-public school, which may then use it at its own discretion.