From Sheriff Mark Luttrell’s Desk...

Tennessee’s Safe Haven Law was passed on July 1, 2001, after two Blount County women were devastated by the discovery of a newborn girl that had been found abandoned in a shed. This child was not found in time and died of severe dehydration.

Unfortunately, even though the law passed several years ago, Shelby County has recently faced the illegal abandonment of newborns. The Sheriff’s Office hopes to change that with this awareness initiative. Tennessee’s Safe Haven Law provides that a newborn that is 72 hours old or less may be left at a designated medical or emergency facility (outlined in T.C.A. Section 68-11-255), no questions asked. The newborn must be unharmed and brought in by the mother. The law grants complete anonymity to the mother of the child and promises that she will not be prosecuted as long as the child is less than 72 hours old and is unharmed.

We are asking residents in Shelby County to help save the lives of young children by supporting this initiative and making the public more knowledgeable about the Tennessee Safe Haven Law.

Sincerely,
Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.
Sheriff