Watch CBS News

"Safe Haven" Newborn Found At Coral Springs Fire Station

CORAL SPRINGS (CBS4) – A typical Monday night at a South Florida fire station turned into anything but normal when firefighters heard crying at their front door and discovered an abandoned newborn baby.

Firefighters from Coral Springs Fire Station #43, located at 4550 Rock Island Road, quickly ran outside when they heard a strange noise coming from outside.

"The noise she was making did sound like a cry," said firefighter James Gochenour. "We thought it was the ring tone on someone's phone actually."

The baby girl left outside the fire station was wrapped in some T-shirts and still had the umbilical cord and placenta attached.

She appeared healthy and was taken to Northwest Medical Center to be examined.

"To think the child was just born and laying on concrete was shocking to us," said Gochenour.

In Florida, there's a law that allows newborns to be dropped off at specific locations with no questions asked.

The Safe Haven law allows a birth parent to leave a newborn baby up to 7 days old at a fire station, hospital, or emergency services station without fear of prosecution.

"This is an example that the program works. It's a compassionate approach in dealing with his," said Nick Silverio, Founder of Safe Haven for Newborns.

Silverio said this is the 159th baby saved since the program's inception, and the 23rd in Broward.

The birth mother has 30-days to reclaim the child. Afterward, the child will be put up for adoption.

"The child's life is saved, mother and father are saved from a lifetime of guilt and anguish and the hopes and dreams of the family waiting to adopt fulfilled," said Silverio. "These children could be the next President of the United States, the next Supreme Court Justice or a scientist finding a cure for cancer; or more important a great mom and dad to their children."

For more information about the Safe Haven for Newborn program, visit www.asafehavenfornewborns.com.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.