FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A new state law allows parents to "surrender" unwanted children. Someone took advantage of that law and surrendered their baby to the Fayetteville Police Department.

A woman recently walked in to the Fayetteville police station, handed officers a baby girl and said the mother did not want her. Officers believe the baby was only one or two days old.

"Its eyes were shut. There wasn't even crying, very quiet, just sitting there peacefully breathing," said Sgt. Jon Somerindyke said.

The baby, who police named Bonnie, was checked out and no one found any signs of abuse. The Department of Social Services found her a family. The department has a legal obligation to try to find the father, but after a certain amount of time, the family is free to adopt.

State lawmakers created the safe surrender law to prevent cases like

Baby Christopher

, whose body was found at a recycling plant and

Baby Michael

, who was found dead along the side of a road.

"I think that the biological mother, what she did was courageous. I think it was a loving act on her part to give her biological child a chance to grow up healthy and strong in a nurturning family," said Bill Scarlett, of the Department of Social Services.

Officers wanted to check on her mother's condition, but the woman they met did not give them any information about the mother.