Nancy Ortiz, the suspected mother of all three infants, is now facing criminal charges related to the abandonment of the babies.

In response to the Orosi case, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors declared 17 county fire stations official "Safe Surrender" locations and in March declared 13 city fire stations as safe drop off points for newborns.

City Council members met with city fire officials Monday to discuss what the Safe Surrender sites mean for the community.

"This not only provides a safe haven for the child but also an opportunity for the mothers who are not able financially or emotionally to support a baby," Councilman Eddie Hernandez said. "They know they can come here and not have to worry about abandoning a child."

Dan Holloway, public education officer with the Porterville Fire Department, acted as coordinator for the Safe Surrender program at both city fire stations.

"We don't want the same thing that happened in Orosi to happen here in Porterville," Holloway said. "We want to get the word out and advise the community that there are two Safe Surrender sites where they can hand over an infant within 72 hours of birth -- no questions asked."

The California Safely Surrender Baby Law allows any person to surrender a child 72 hours or younger to any firefighter on duty at a designated site. This may be done discreetly without providing a name and without fear of criminal prosecution.

When a baby is handed over, both the infant and the surrendering person receive a bracelet with an identification code that permits the mother to reclaim the child within 14 days if she changes her mind.

Written by Porterville Recorder