SC babies given up for adoption reach all-time high

More babies have been surrendered to authorities in 2022 than in all the years since Daniel’s Law was passed in 2001.

Seven babies were surrendered to South Carolina hospitals in the first ten months of 2022. Three of the babies were underweight — twin boys born in Anderson and a boy born in Greenville.

Sixteen in 2016 and 2019 were the previous highest in a single year.

Daniel’s Law, the Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, was named for an infant who survived being buried in a landfill in Allendale County. His nurses named him Daniel.

The Department of Social Services has custody of abandoned babies and places them in foster homes until their adoption. Children younger than 60 days may be surrendered at hospitals or fire stations. The parents are not prosecuted as long as the child has not been injured.

Danielle Jones, spokesperson from DSS, stated all three of the surrendered September babies have been adopted.

56 children have been taken into protective custody since the adoption of the law.

She claimed she was unable to speculate on the reason for more children being surrendered.

Jones claimed that there are many foster care providers available to newborns. Children as young as 6 years old can be placed.

“The agency’s greatest need for foster placements remains those foster parents willing to serve older youth and teenagers, sibling groups, and children with complex medical needs,” she said.

This year, the following babies were abandoned:

• Twins born July 11, were surrendered at AnMed Health Medical Center Anderson on Sept. 8. They are African-American/Caucasian boys. The one weighed in at 2 pounds, 10.6 ounces, and measured 15.75 inches long. The other was 2 pounds and 2.2 ounces, and measured 13.98 inches. The Anderson County Family Court will hold a permanency planning hearing at 10:30 am on Oct. 20, 2022.
• A White boy, weighing 1 pound, 12.5 pounds and born Sept. 3. DSS reported that he was receiving additional medical care. A permanency planning hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. Oct. 11 at Greenville County Family Court
• Greer Memorial Hospital in Spartanburg County surrendered a White girl, weighing 7 lbs, 9.7 ounces, and 20 inches long. A hearing for permanent planning took place on August 29.
• Summerville Medical Center received a surrendered Black boy, born June 1, 2009. He weighed 6 lbs, 11 ounces, and measured 20.5 inches in length. Dorchester County DSS claimed custody of the child. He has been placed in a licensed foster family.
• A White boy was born in April 2022 and surrendered to Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood County. He weighed in at 6 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 19 inches. May 23 was the date of the permanent planning hearing.
• Lexington Medical Center surrendered a White girl born Jan. 21. She weighed in at 8 pounds, 7.8 ounces, and measured 20 inches in length. March 9 was the date for the permanent planning hearing.

A 2001 story in The State reported that Daniel’s mother did not tell her parents she was pregnant, never sought prenatal care and gave birth in the bathroom of her Allendale County home. She dug him up in the old city landfill nearby.

After seeking care at a local hospital, the child was discovered.

“He was covered with a lime substance and fire ants and he was screaming his head off. The web between his fingers and his chest was visible to rescue workers. But the rest of his body was caked with the lime,” the story said..

One rescue worker was quoted as saying, “That baby was just not meant to die. It’s an unbelievable story that this child lived through all that. God has a plan for his life.”