Newborn surrendered at SC hospital, 4th this year

A newborn baby girl was given up for adoption at a Spartanburg hospital this week.

She was born Monday and weighed 6 pounds, 9.6 ounces and was 18.9 inches long at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

The baby was surrendered under South Carolina’s Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act and was the fourth baby this year to be surrendered.

Last year, seven babies were surrendered, the most since 2009 when the South Carolina Department of Social Services DSS has been publicizing the numbers.

The act was enacted in 2001 and named for an infant who survived being buried in a landfill in Allendale County. Nurses named him Daniel as he recovered at a hospital. In all, 60 babies have been surrendered since the act was passed. Six babies were surrendered in 2016 and 2019.

Children younger than 60 days can be surrendered in certain places such as hospitals or fire departments and no action is taken against the parents as long as the child is not injured.

The mother lives in Greenville County so the Greenville County Department of Social Services took custody of the baby and placed her in a foster home.

A permanency planning hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 29 at the Greenville County Family Court, 350 Halton Road, Greenville.

For more information on the hearing, please contact the Greenville County Family Court at (864) 467-5800 or the Greenville County DSS office at (864) 467-7797.