NEBRASKA FIASCO: #29 DOESN'T DISAPPOINT; NEITHER DO DR. PHIL AND DR. LAURA

I knew they wouldn't let us down!

Nebraska DHHS reports that an 11-year old girl from Douglas County was left by her mother today at Bergan Mercy Hospital. No details. She is the 5th child this week to find a new home at a Nebraska hospital.

Only one more to go and we'll hit 30! The weekend, with its leisure time activities, usually marks an upturn in dumps. Hey! let's take a drive in the country!

UPDATES:
Nebraska and Indiana officials spent the day discussing the "best options" for the 8-year old boy left at Bergan Mercy yesterday. Late afternoon they announced that the boy will be returned to Indiana and placed in the custody of The Indiana Department of Children's Services while the investigation continues.

And remember the poor rejected adoptee from Michigan? The Detroit Free Press reports that his adoptive father, Nathaniel Martin, (earlier referred to as Terrence) has regained custody of his two biological children, but the adopted siblings remain in foster care. Their adoptive mother, Teri Martin, who dumped her son and claimed she was forced to adopt him seven years ago so she could adopt his brother, is not allowed in the couple's Southfield, Michigan home while the petition of neglect filed against her remains unresolved.

DR. LAURA AND DR. PHIL
Gee, would you be surprised to learn that these media whores support unregulated child dumping and want YOU to meet them at your local dumpster...er...I mean hospital.

Dr. Laura's, in her incredibly stupid November 4 blog , manages to exhibit a cellular ignorance of baby abandonment in general, "safe haven" laws and adoption in particular, and to insult Nebraska parents and guardians who have utilized this odious law to boot, implying that they are drug addicts, alcoholics, and mentally ill. Apparently in a moment of lucidity between pipes, these incapables have gotten it together enough to drive to the nearest hospital and save a life. The fact is, though I disagree with their decision to use LB 157, none of the people who have utilized this ill-conceived law appear to be genuine knuckle-dragging tweakers and winos. (though a couple lack common sense). Enough newspaper articles have appeared to indicate that "safe haven" consumers are well-intentioned but desperate people who have reached the end of their rope with state and private agency screw-you services that offer plenty of family help on paper, but don't deliver the goods. (Here is a good example. Also read Lavennia Coover's experience and her letter to the Omaha World-Herald in which the mother of #13 describes her frustration with the child welfare system and the whole "safe haven" procedure. )

Read Dr. Laura pontificate:

I had fits hearing criticism that this is abandonment or passing on responsibility. Children in the hands of parents addicted to drugs or alcohol, suffering from various mental illnesses and overwhelmed, barely functional and generally desperate, or simply unwilling are at great risk - and if even one of them has the compassion and good sense to make use of a safe-haven…then we have saved a life…not only from death…but from abuse and a childhood leading only to troubles and problems.

Society is always better off when unwanted children have opportunities with adoptive families, quality foster-families, or placement with relatives who might not even have known there was a problem. These children will have a better chance to grow up more adjusted, and that will obviously minimize bad “acting out” (sexual or criminal variety) or substance abuse to quell emotional pain.

Unfortunately, because of criticism aimed at parents who take advantage of protecting their children rather than harming them, the Governor of Nebraska, Dave Heinemen, is calling a special session of the legislature to change the state’s unique safe-haven law - amending it so that it applies only to infants up to 3 days old. I believe this is a HUGE mistake.

Not to be out done, Dr. Phil, went on TV today and recommended that stressed-out parents drop off their kids at dump-friendly environments. Due to the vagaries of my TV, I was unable to watch the show, but you can see a trailer and "Dr. Phil Uncensored" here. I should have a copy of the show next week and have a better idea of what went down. Reportedly, the show was emotionally manipulative and abusive. Included was a tired-out young single mom who Phil thinks would be better off as a perky birthmother if only she'd be unselfish enough to toss her kids into the adoption spammer and get a life.

Just what we've come to expect from America's favorite TV do-gooder.