S.C. Code Regs. § § 61-19.500.503

Current through Register Vol. 48, 12, December 27, 2024

Section 61-19.500.503 - Abandoned Infants

A. When an abandoned infant, including a baby surrendered pursuant to S.C. Code Section 63-7-40, is brought to an emergency room or to an institution, the person in charge of the institution shall submit the report of live birth within five (5) calendar days of discovery to the Bureau of Vital Statistics with the following information:

(1) The date and city and/or county of discovery;

(2) Sex and approximate live birth date of child as determined by a physician or licensed health care provider;

(3) Name and address of the person or institution submitting this report;

(4) Name given to the child by the custodian of the child, if applicable; and

(5) Other data required by the State Registrar.

B. The place where the child was found or discovered shall be entered as the place of live birth.

C. Information submitted under this section shall constitute the basis for the report of live birth for the child.

D. The report for an abandoned infant shall be registered in the current format for live births and shall:

(1) have foundling plainly marked or flagged on the report;

(2) show the required facts as determined by approximation and have parentage data left blank; and

(3) show the name and title of the person or institution submitting the report under section 503.A.

E. If the child is identified and a live birth registration is found or obtained, the report submitted under this Section and any live birth registration resulting from that report shall be voided and placed in a sealed file and shall not be subject to inspection except upon order of a South Carolina Family Court or by the Department for purposes of administering the vital statistics program.

F. For purposes of this section, when an abandoned child does not meet the definition of "infant" in S.C. Code Section 63-7-40, a court order shall be required to file a report of live birth. The court order shall establish the facts of birth in Section 503.A.

G. Birth Records registered under this Section that contain the parents' information shall not be issued except to the S.C. Department of Social Services for the purposes of adoption or care for the child.

S.C. Code Regs. § 61-19.500.503

Replaced and amended by State Register Volume 40, Issue No. 06, eff. 6/24/2016; State Register Volume 47, Issue No. 05, eff. 5/26/2023.