Charges won't be sought in baby case | The Columbus Dispatch

how is leaving a newborn alongside the road not a crime?

"I felt that the letter and the spirit of the law had not been violated," said Delaware City Prosecuting Attorney Peter Ruffing.

You have got to be kidding me, so it's ok to toss your baby out like trash? God will get you for that Mr. Ruffing.

This is an obvious case of child endangerment. And since Ohio has the Save Haven law this seems so wrong. What would have happened if no one had seen this poor baby and called the police? This makes it look okay to others in the same situation that they will not be punished and it is acceptable behavior.

Mother of 3 wrote:

This is an obvious case of child endangerment. And since Ohio has the Save Haven law this seems so wrong. What would have happened if no one had seen this poor baby and called the police? This makes it look okay to others in the same situation that they will not be punished and it is acceptable behavior.

**maybe the child belonged to a relative of someone in a public position

Mother of 3 wrote:

This is an obvious case of child endangerment. And since Ohio has the Save Haven law this seems so wrong. What would have happened if no one had seen this poor baby and called the police? This makes it look okay to others in the same situation that they will not be punished and it is acceptable behavior.

I am pretty sure I saw on the news recently that it was the mother that called the police. She delivered in her car and then called the police and said she found the baby on the side of the road. This is why it is supposedly ok...she did what she was supposed to do according to Safe Haven laws, she reported it to authorities. Like I said, I *think* this is the same case that I saw in the news...

And I in no way agree with it..just to clear that up. This woman obviously needs help and endangered her child.

This woman should be prevented to bear any more children. Period. I hope the child gets adopted and lives a happy fulilling life.

I guess the authorities can "pick & choose" who they prosecute even when this obviously is breaking the law? It does make you wonder who the mother is related to.

You have got to be kidding me? No charges?? This will only encourage others to abandon their babies. How in the world could they determine that this was not a crime? As another posted stated what if someone had not found the baby?

Nobamalies wrote:

<quoted text>
I am pretty sure I saw on the news recently that it was the mother that called the police. She delivered in her car and then called the police and said she found the baby on the side of the road. This is why it is supposedly ok...she did what she was supposed to do according to Safe Haven laws, she reported it to authorities. Like I said, I *think* this is the same case that I saw in the news...
And I in no way agree with it..just to clear that up. This woman obviously needs help and endangered her child.

You are right, this is the same case.....

Mother of 3, It is a Safe Haven Law! Act like you have some sense! As long as the baby is safe, do not prosecute some lame teen mother. Take care of the cargo, do not worry about some lame law concerning young mothers. The baby is safe.
Duncan

Go after the fathers, they produce, let them pay something. Useless creeps that love those 2 minutes of pleasure.
Duncan

I the law pertains to some but not all!! The baby was left to die in the hot sun on the side of road like a bag of trash remember!!! But a girl leaves her baby on her neighbor's doorstep and rings the bell so someone will immediately retrieve the child and now she is ready to spend time in prison! I guess it depends on what side of 71 your on!

Prosecution of an attempted murder charge is necessary to protect babies from more such endangerment and abuse. The safe haven laws enacted in every state for legalized, safe, and discreet abandonment of unharmed newborns preclude any consideration of mercy being shows to perpetrators in such illegal abandonment cases.

The baby was never out of the care and custody of the mother. She gave birth in her car, and then called 911 saying she found the baby. There was no crime and no abandonment or neglect charges to file. She simply filed a false police report.

What the state has done, though, with the "safe haven" law in this case is made the incident a post facto "safe haven." The mother, it appears, did not announce her intention to SH the baby at the time of the call; thus, the investigation and search for the mother continued on the taxpayer dime. At some point somebody from DDJFS decided to call this a "safe haven" case. Ultimately, it is up to juvenile court to adjudicate that DDJFS decision. Technically, it may be a SH, but it's a real stretch.

BTW, The mother's parental rights were terminated in September.

The most the mother could be charged with is filing a false police report, and it's within prosecutorial discretion to not do so.

Very dissapointed wrote:

I the law pertains to some but not all!! The baby was left to die in the hot sun on the side of road like a bag of trash remember!!! But a girl leaves her baby on her neighbor's doorstep and rings the bell so someone will immediately retrieve the child and now she is ready to spend time in prison! I guess it depends on what side of 71 your on!

You are so very right on this one! The girl was a Mexican "illegal" and they used it against her to help deport her back to Mexico without the baby. but she had to serve time in jail first. What is the difference???

howis leaving a kid alongside the road fall under "safe haven"?

"I reviewed the facts of the case, and I felt that the letter and the spirit of the law had not been violated," said Delaware City Prosecuting Attorney Peter Ruffing.

Is Peter Ruffing saying that it is OKAY TO ABANDONED A NEWBORN BABY?!

the mother is obviously someone connected

or maybe her mommy or daddy is.but there is no way a county prosecutor can say this falls under safe haven act with a straight face.something smells her and it's not a diaper.

There is no mystery. The baby was never abandoned. No crime was committed. As I wrote early, it was a false police report aka a hoax. No crime = no prosecution.

Technically the case falls under the Ohio "safe haven" law, but the time frame and details are way off. Since everything about "safe havens" is a big fat secret, with no transparency, and the public be damned, it's impossible to find out what's really going on other than the state is cooking stats to encourage women to unethically abandon their children through the "safe haven" program--and to get funds back into ODJFS.