In the United States, Safe Surrender Laws provide an avenue for parents of infants who are unable to care for their children to give them up to a safe location without fear of judgment or questions. These laws were implemented to prevent infants from being abandoned in life-threatening situations.
It is unclear why some mothers cannot keep their children, but the wellbeing of the child who is surrendered is paramount.
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Captain Daryll Milliot of Station 75 fire department in Santa Ana, California, recalls the day a mother arrived at the station doorstep clutching her 15-hour-old baby and asking him to keep the child.
The firefighters on duty, including Michael de Leon, Tyler Green, and Shawn Stacy, comforted the baby, who was named Naomi, until a social worker arrived. The firefighters formed a close bond with Naomi and consider themselves to be her “unofficial uncles.”
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Fortunately, Naomi did not have to wait long for a new family. Krysten and Kurt Snyder were in the process of adopting a one-year-old boy when they received the call about Naomi. They did not hesitate to take her in, and Naomi quickly became a beloved member of their family. Despite her new home and loving family, Naomi has not forgotten her “unofficial uncles.”
Naomi’s adoption ceremony was attended by the firefighters who comforted her on her first day of life. Fireman Michael de Leon described attending the ceremony and seeing Naomi again as one of the highlights of his career.
Krysten, Naomi’s mother, said that they would always be transparent about Naomi’s birth story. “This is a wonderful time for us to tell her about her mother and what a brave thing she accomplished,” she added. Naomi’s birth mother was brave, and as a result of her sacrifice, Naomi now has a loving home and four brave and heroic uncles.