Nine children were left at an Omaha hospital late Wednesday by their father as a result of a Nebraska law which went into effect in July and that allows anyone to leave a child at a hospital without fear of prosecution. The law was originally intended to protect infants, and was expanded in a legislative compromise to protect any "child." But people understand what they want - meaning that its target may very well include anyone under 19. So teenagers are now being dropped off.

Before Wednesday's drop-off, at least four children between the ages of 11 and 15 had been abandoned by parents since the law took effect.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman has called for changes to the state haven law, but the Legislature does not meet until January.

It appears that Gary Staton who had been left by his wife of 17 years, anonymously left five boys and four girls aged 1 to 17 at Creighton University Medical Center's emergency room. He has a 10th child as well, a daughter who is 18.
Staton said his wife died early last year, shortly after delivering their youngest child and that he could not handle bringing his children up by himself. "I was with her for 17 years, and then she was gone," he said of his late wife. "What was I going to do? We raised them together. I didn't think I could do it alone. I fell apart. I couldn't take care of them," he said. He added that he was out of work and couldn't pay his bills, either.

The custody of the nine siblings will probably be given to relatives.