Miracles happen at hospitals every day.  Nowhere is that more evident than on the obstetrics unit – where the babies are.  This is not just where infants are born, it’s where families are made and enhanced.  It’s where lives are changed in a way that is joyous and forever.

But there was no miracle for the twin girls born late last week and then found dead in the trunk of their mother’s car in Story County.  Now their mother, Jackie Burkle, is facing murder charges.  Few details have emerged about the case, but there is only real question:  Why?  What would lead a young woman to give birth and then allow – if not purposely bring about – the deaths of her infant daughters?

This is particularly frustrating for hospitals and the people who work in them, not only because they are mission-bound to protect lives, particularly the lives of children and other vulnerable people, but because there are laws – laws that hospitals advocated for – to help these mothers in distress and their babies.

Iowa’s “safe haven” law was put on the books in 2001.  Under the law, which was strongly supported by IHA, unwanted babies age 14 days or younger can be surrendered at a hospital or even a nursing home.  The law provides that the child’s parents will be immune from prosecution (assuming the child is unharmed), their identities will be kept private and the child will be cared for and eventually adopted.

Fourteen Iowa infants have been adopted under the law.  But, sadly, at least a half dozen have died since then in circumstances similar to those playing out in Story County.

In response, IHA worked with the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and former Iowa First Lady Mari Culver to produce television (see video below) and radio ads in 2007 that explained the law and promoted hospitals as safe havens.  The ads ran that summer on television and radio programs that were popular with young people.

Up to that time, nothing formal had been done to publicize the law.  With information and assistance from IHA, hospitals put up signs and promoted the law with their local media when it was first passed.  But, except for that summer nearly five years ago, no money has ever been allocated by the Legislature to keep the public aware of safe havens.

Maybe it’s time that a coalition of Iowa human and health services organizations (including hospitals) – as well as state agencies – figured out how to ensure that a minimal year-to-year effort is made to raise safe havens awareness.  It may never be enough to keep these tragedies from happening, but safeguarding the lives of newborns deserves more than nothing.