Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-1-2-109

This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 10A-1-2-109, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 10A, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 10A,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

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Relinquishment of child 30 days or younger to medical

Official statutory text

services provider or child rescuer.

A. A parent subject to the provisions of this act shall not be

prosecuted for child abandonment or child neglect under the

provisions of any statute which makes child abandonment or child

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10A. Children and Juvenile Code Page 63

neglect a crime, when the allegations of child abandonment or child

neglect are based solely on the relinquishment of a child thirty

(30) days of age or younger to a medical services provider or a

child rescuer as defined in this section.

B. The following entities shall, without a court order, take

possession of a child thirty (30) days of age or younger if the

child is voluntarily delivered to the entity by the parent of the

child and the parent did not express an intent to return for the

child:

1. A medical services provider; or

2. A child rescuer.

C. Delivery of the child may be effectuated by an in-person

transfer of the child to the medical services provider or child

rescuer or by leaving the child in a newborn safety device that is:

1. Voluntarily installed by the medical services provider or

child rescuer;

2. Physically located inside a police station, fire station,

child protective services agency, hospital or other medical

facility; and

3. Located in an area that is conspicuous and visible to the

employees of the police station, fire station, child protective

services agency, hospital or other medical facility.

D. A medical services provider or child rescuer that installs a

newborn safety device shall:

1. Be responsible for the cost of the installation; and

2. Install an adequate dual alarm system connected to the

physical location of the newborn safety device that is:

a. tested at least one time per week to ensure the alarm

system is in working order, and

b. visually checked at least two times per day to ensure

the alarm system is in working order.

E. Any entity identified in subsection B of this section to

which a parent seeks to relinquish a child pursuant to the

provisions of this section may:

1. Request, but not demand, any information about the child

that the parent is willing to share. The entity is encouraged to

ask about, but not demand, the details of any relevant medical

history relating to the child or the parents of the child. The

entity shall respect the wish of the parent if the parent desires to

remain anonymous; and

2. Provide the parent with printed information relating to the

rights of the parents, including both parents, with respect to

reunification with the child and sources of counseling for the

parents, if desired.

F. Once a child has been relinquished to any entity identified

in subsection B of this section, the entity receiving the child

shall:

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 10A. Children and Juvenile Code Page 64

1. Perform or provide for the performance of any act necessary

to protect the physical health or safety of the child; and

2. Notify the local office of the Department that a parent of a

child thirty (30) days of age or younger, in the best judgment of

the receiving entity, has relinquished such child and that the

entity has taken possession of the child.

G. Upon being made aware that a medical services provider or

child rescuer has possession of a child under the provisions of this

section, the Department of Human Services shall immediately check

with law enforcement authorities to determine if a child has been

reported missing and whether the missing child could be the

relinquished child.

H. The Department shall design and disseminate:

1. A simplified form for the recording of medical or other

information that a relinquishing parent wishes to share with the

entity to whom the child is being relinquished;

2. Easily understood printed materials that give information

about parents’ rights with regard to reunification with a child

including, but not limited to, information on how a parent can
ment shall design and disseminate:

1. A simplified form for the recording of medical or other

information that a relinquishing parent wishes to share with the

entity to whom the child is being relinquished;

2. Easily understood printed materials that give information

about parents’ rights with regard to reunification with a child

including, but not limited to, information on how a parent can

contact the appropriate entity regarding reunification, and

information on sources of counseling for relinquishing parents; and

3. Media information including printed material that creates

public awareness about the provisions of this act.

I. For purposes of this section:

1. “Medical services provider” means a person authorized to

practice the healing arts including a physician’s assistant or nurse

practitioner, a registered or practical nurse and a nurse aide; and

2. “Child rescuer” means any employee or other designated

person on duty at a police station, fire station, child protective

services agency, hospital or other medical facility.

J. A medical services provider or child rescuer with

responsibility for performing duties pursuant to this section shall

be immune from any criminal liability that might otherwise result

from the actions of the entity, if acting in good faith in receiving

a relinquished child. In addition, such medical provider or child

rescuer shall be immune from any civil liability that might

otherwise result from merely receiving a relinquished child.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

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About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.