Twitter

[Kevy Baby]

For some reason, I decided to look at what EVERYONE on Twitter is posting (click the "Everyone" link on your Twitter Home Page).

A post came up from a user with the name "UnWantedChild." Seems someone has written a program/script that will post a series of rotating messages ever couple of minutes or so:

Being abandoned in front of a stranger's home 1 minute ago from web

Being abandoned by a teenager frightened of her parents 2 minutes ago from web

Being abandoned in a high school toilet 8 minutes ago from web

Being beaten by my abusive daddy 9 minutes ago from web

Locked in the basement to hide my parent's shameful secret 10 minutes ago from web

Why?

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Stab in the dark: It's probably tied to an anti-abortion campaign or person.

[Kevy Baby]

Oh, I guessed similar. But what is the point? It is the same five Tweets repeated over and over.

Why are people following this person? Do they really need to see those Tweets over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over?

[Alex]

I'm not sure how highlighting the abandonment of unwanted children would be anti-abortion.

Those are usually hypotheticals of the pro-choice side. My guess, and it is based on absolutely nothing, is that someone did something similar for a fetus being aborted (maybe this one found with a guess at a user name) and this is a response to that.

[BarTopDancer]

I'm thinking it's related to safe haven abandonment laws where you can leave a newborn (or is it up to 3 days old) at a hospital, police station or fire station with no repercussions. And maybe anti-prop 4 (I think) that requires parental notification for minors to have an abortion.

In other news, don't accept a friend request from bin Laden. Twitter can be used for terrorist activities.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

I'm thinking it's related to safe haven abandonment laws where you can leave a newborn (or is it up to 3 days old) at a hospital, police station or fire station with no repercussions.

If a three-day-old baby is not considered a newborn, then what is the cut-off time-frame?

But your assumption is correct: the safe haven laws allow up to three days after birth to drop off with no repercussions to the mother (at least in California - I don't know the laws in other states).

While researching this detail, I ran across some interesting facts from the State of California on the Safe Haven law:

Background

• The Safely Surrendered Baby Law (SSB) was implemented on January 1, 2001. In October 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger signed legislation extending the SSB Law permanently, effective January 1, 2006.

Statewide Statistics

• As of June 30, 2008, 251 newborns have been safely surrendered in California while another 149 infants have been found alive following their illegal abandonment.
• In the first half of 2008 (January 1-June 30), 31 babies were safely surrendered in California. Los Angeles County leads the state with 59 babies safely surrendered since the program’s inception.

The Law

• Under the SSB law, a parent or person with lawful custody can safely surrender a baby confidentially and without fear of prosecution within 72 hours of birth.
• The SSB law requires the baby be taken to a public or private hospital, designated fire station or other safe surrender site. No questions will be asked.
• The SSB law provides a safe alternative to desperate mothers who are unwilling or unable to keep their babies.
• Babies who are safely surrendered at a hospital are given medical treatment and placed in a foster home or pre-adoptive home. At the time of surrender, a bracelet is placed on the baby for identification purposes and a matching bracelet provided to the parent or lawful guardian in case the baby is reclaimed.
• A parent or person with lawful custody has up to 14 days from the time of surrender to reclaim their baby.
• In addition to California, at least 46 other states have such laws in place to discourage baby abandonment.

Additional Information

• SSB posters and brochures are available, free of charge, to requesting individuals and organizations. Visit our Web site at www.babysafe.ca.gov for more information.

• This is from the California Department of Social Services web site.

[Alex]

Nebraska hurriedly trying to revise their safe haven law so parents will stop dropping off their teenagers, including one from out of state. I'm not kidding, really I'm not.

(Apropos of not much, just an interesting tidbit on unintended consequences I heard about over the weekend.)

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Alex

Nebraska hurriedly trying to revise their safe haven law so parents will stop dropping off their teenagers, including one from out of state. I'm not kidding, really I'm not.

Take away the fact that it is really sad and this is really quite funny.

[alphabassettgrrl]

The CA law seems reasonable. I feel bad for the kids that have been dumped under the Nebraska law. Newborns are one thing, but teens????? One guy dropped off 5. ??? Dude. Stop having babies. Better yet, don't start.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by alphabassettgrrl

One guy dropped off 5. ??? Dude. Stop having babies. Better yet, don't start.

Actually, from the first link:

One left nine siblings, ages 1 to 17.

(emphasis mine)