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Woman Drops Off Newborn At Winnetka Fire Station

WEST COVINA (CBS) — A woman dropped off her newborn son at a fire station in Winnetka, marking the second such "safe surrender" case this year in Los Angeles County.

County Supervisor Don Knabe says the mother surrendered the infant to firefighters at Fire Station 104 on Sunday after giving birth at home.

The child is in protective custody, and will be placed with a family approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.

"The Safe Surrender program was created to give mothers a safe, secure and anonymous way to get their child into safe hands and to protect babies from abandonment," Knabe said. "Thanks to the program, this baby boy has a second chance at life and hope for a bright future."

He is the 85th child to be surrendered since the program was initiated by Knabe and approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2001.

Under the program, someone can surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as there is no sign of abuse.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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