§ 25 — Immunity for relinquishing person

(a) The act of relinquishing a newborn infant to a hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility in accordance with this Act does not, by itself, constitute a basis for a finding of abuse, neglect, or abandonment of the infant pursuant to the laws of this State nor does it, by itself, constitute a violation of Section 12C-5 or 12C-10 of the Criminal Code of 2012. (b) If there is suspected child abuse or neglect that is not based solely on the newborn infant's relinquishment to a hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility, the personnel of the hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility who are mandated reporters under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act must report the abuse or neglect pursuant to that Act. (c) Neither a child protective investigation nor a criminal investigation may be initiated solely because a newborn infant is relinquished pursuant to this Act.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 97-1109, eff. 1-1-13; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)