Hospitals to accept unwanted babies

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Scared and frightened mothers who don't want their newborns now have safe places to take them in Lawrence County.

The county's three hospitals -- Ellwood City, Jameson Memorial and St. Francis -- have agreed to accept infants, no questions asked, from mothers. The program is called "A Hand To Hold" and enables mothers to leave their babies up to 30 days old with emergency room nurses at participating hospitals. Matthew Mangino, county district attorney, has agreed not to prosecute if the infants are unharmed. "Any time an infant is abandoned, it's tragic. We believe we can prevent these tragedies with a program like A Hand To Hold," Mangino said.