Caretakers dropped off two 12-year-old boys at hospitals in Lincoln and Omaha Sunday, using the state’s safe haven law yet again.

And on Monday, a 34-year-old mother brought her 15-year-old daughter to a Lincoln hospital intending to drop her off using the safe haven law. But the mother changed her mind, said Lincoln Police Capt. David Beggs.

No other information was available on that case.

On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was left at BryanLGH Medical Center West by his 51-year-old grandmother — Lincoln’s second safe haven case since the law went into effect in July.

Another boy, the same age, was taken to Immanuel Hospital in Omaha.

In the Lincoln case, the grandmother had been appointed guardian of the boy less than a week before.

The boy, who arrived at the hospital at 10:50 p.m. told a nurse he had attempted to “help his grandmother clean up,” and she had become upset and took him to the hospital.

The boy’s father apparently lives in Lincoln and his mother in Saline County.

Parents, relatives or guardians have used the state’s new safe haven law eight times since it went into effect in July. A total of 16 children have been abandoned.

The Department of Health and Human Services is assessing the latest cases, said Todd Landry, director of the division of children and family services.

Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady said Monday there have always been parents and caregivers who have struggled to care for troubled children.

 “Now it’s relatively easy to take advantage of this tool legislators gave citizens,” he said. “I’m rather surprised legislators didn’t see this coming because I can assure you Lincoln police saw this coming.”

The safe haven law prohibits prosecution when a child is left at a licensed Nebraska hospital.

While they cannot be charged for abandoning a child, parents and guardians using Nebraska safe haven law can be charged for other offenses.

Courts are also likely to require parents and guardians to participate in parenting classes, family therapy, conflict resolution or other services in an effort to reunite youth with their families.

Child support payments may be ordered while children are in state custody.

The law was intended for infants when enacted, but legislators had compromised on not putting a specific age on the bill in order to pass it. Some senators have said they may make adjustments to the bill in January.

Gov. Dave Heineman said Monday he has no plans to call a special session to change the safe haven law, but he wouldn’t rule out the possibility.

“I hope we don’t have to do that, but as governor you never  take any issue off the table,” he said.

HHS director Landry encouraged parents who are having difficulty with their kids to reach out for help from family, faith-based organizations and other community services when they need support, before taking such a drastic step as abandonment.

Journal Star reporters Hilary Kindschuh, JoAnne Young and Cory Matteson contributed to this story.