Newborn girl dropped off at Cicero fire station

CICERO, Ill. (WLS) -- Cicero fire officials said a newborn baby girl was dropped off at a fire station Friday afternoon.

Fire officials said the baby was just a few hours old when her parents came into the station, handed her to a fireman and left.

"The baby is healthy, so we are still monitoring," said Cicero Police Deputy Superintendent Luis Gutierrez. "They handed the baby to the firefighter and they immediately left the area."

This is the first time a baby has been dropped off at this particular safe haven location in Cicero.

"The fire official brought the baby into the firehouse and began to assess the infant, at which time they transported the baby to the hospital," Gutierrez said.

Cicero police said that is exactly what parents are supposed to do under Illinois' Safe Haven Law. The law allows parents to leave their baby with workers at a safe place with no questions asked as long as the baby has not been hurt and is less than 30 days old.

"There are no charges to drop the baby off," Gutierrez stressed.

Under the law, parents can drop their babies off at hospitals, emergency care facilities, police stations and staffed fire stations.

"The most important thing is the child's welfare. So when they are in a situation and they need to drop off a child, that is the best location. It is a safe haven location - the firehouse, or the police department," said Gutierrez.

According to the Illinois Save Abandoned Babies Foundation, this is the 137th infant legally relinquished in the state of Illinois since the start of the Safe Haven law in 2001.

"Somebody is going to have a very wonderful Christmas present under their tree this year," said Dawn Geras, president of the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation.

As they look for a forever home for the baby girl, officials hope this serves as a positive reminder of the options available for parents.

"They took loving, responsible actions to make sure that this baby girl was going to be OK," Geras said. "If they are listening, I bless them and I thank them and I reassure them that this baby will be loved and cherished and taken care of."