Safe Surrender Law
North Carolina's Safe Surrender law allows an overwhelmed parent to surrender a newborn to a responsible adult and walk away. The baby must be unharmed. An infant up to 7 days old may be surrendered to any responsible adult. Anyone who receives a baby in this way must keep the baby safe and warm, and call 911 or the county social services department immediately. The baby will be adopted. This law is properly called the law to "Decriminalize Abandonment of an Infant." This law is meant to prevent these babies from being killed or being left unsafely to die.