'Baby boxes' could soon be legal in South Dakota
Deceased infant found last year in Sioux Falls necessitates law change, bill sponsor argues
PIERRE — The discovery of a deceased newborn baby in Sioux Falls last year is the inspiration for Rep. Bethany Soye’s House Bill 1044.
Appearing before the House’s Health and Human Services Committee Thursday morning, the Sioux Falls Republican pitched her measure as the “baby Gabriel” bill - a distinction given in honor of the days-old Gabrield James Doe, discovered deceased in a Sioux Falls recycling center on Aug. 6.
“This tragedy shocked a lot of people and shocked our community,” Soye told the committee, highlighting the hundreds of community members who attended an impromptu funeral for Gabriel. “The incident brought up many incidences about how to prevent a tragedy in the future. Where can parents turn if they want to surrender their child?”
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