{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-620.350","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 620.350","heading":"Abandoned newborn infant -- Emergency custody order -- No","body":"investigation of abandonment -- Placement in foster home -- Inquiry to ensure\nthat infant is not missing child -- Involuntary termination of parental rights.\n(1) As used in this section, \"new born infant\" means an infant who is medically\ndetermined to be less than thirty (30) days old.\n(2) Upon notice from any emergency medical services provider or hospital staff that a\nnewborn infant has been abandoned at a hospital, the cabinet shall immediately seek\nan order for emergency custody of the infant.\n(a) No child protective services investigation or assessment shall be initiated\nregarding the abandonment of an infant in accordance with KRS 405.075. The\nprovisions of this subsection shall not apply when indicators of child physical\nabuse or child neglect are present.\n(b) Upon the infant's release from the hospital, the cabinet shall place the child in\na foster home approved by the cabinet to provide concurrent planning\nplacement services. As used in this paragraph, \"concurrent planning\nplacement services\" means the foster family shall work with the cabinet on\nreunification with the birth family, if known, and shall seek to adopt the infant\nif reunification cannot be accomplished.\n(3) At the temporary removal hearing required by KRS 620.080, if the court places\ntemporary custody with the cabinet, the custody order shall remain in effect for a\nminimum of thirty (30) days.\n(4) During the initial thirty (30) days of placement, the cabinet shall request ass istance\nfrom law enforcement officials to investigate through the Missing Child\nInformation Center established by KRS 17.450 and other national resources to\nensure that the infant is not a missing child.\n(5) As soon as practicable following the thirty (30)  day placement period, the cabinet\nshall file a petition in Circuit Court seeking the involuntary termination of parental\nrights of the unknown parents and authority to place the child for adoption in\naccordance with KRS Chapter 625.\n(6) If a claim of parental rights is made at any time prior to the court order issued under\nKRS 625.100, the Circuit Court may hold the action for involuntary termination of\nparental rights in abeyance for a period of time not to exceed ninety (90) days and\nimmediately remand the case to the District Court.\n(a) If a case is remanded to District Court under this subsection, an adjudicatory\nhearing shall be conducted as required by KRS 620.100 within ten (10) days\nof the assertion of parental rights;\n(b) The District Court may order genetic testing to establish maternity or paternity\nat the expense of the claimant;\n(c) The cabinet shall conduct a child protective services investigation or\nassessment and home evaluation to develop recommendations for the District\nCourt; and\n(d) Further proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with KRS Chapter 620;\nhowever, a newborn infant who has been placed in accordance with KRS\n405.075 shall not be found to be a neglected child based on that act alone.","path":["KRS Chapter 620"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=45353","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T21:00:08Z","sha256":"8e50c24ac33083369878b6cdae26e51343990efee28c28c73d8f3cb954f04e9a","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-620.345","next":"us-ky/krs-620.355"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}