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--> --> DA won't charge woman who brought her newborn to police ROSEBURG (AP) - The Douglas County District Attorney's office will not file charges against a 23-year-old mother who brought her newborn to the Myrtle Creek Police Department on Sept. 9, claiming she found it in her back yard. Instead, local agencies have required the parents to seek marriage counseling. The parents, along with their lawyers and representatives of the Douglas County District Attorney's Office, met with Douglas County Circuit Court Judge Ronald Poole on Monday to discuss how the child might be returned to them. The boy, who is being cared for by his maternal grandparents, is technically in the custody of the court. Besides marriage counseling, the mother must also undergo psychiatric counseling. No date has been set for when the child will be given back to his parents. "We can't really explain what happened," said Roseburg attorney Leeon Aller, who represents the mother. "I can say my client was overwhelmed and unprepared to be a new mother." Kareen LaValley, who is representing the father, said he apparently did not know his wife was pregnant until after the birth. "He's looking forward to being reunited with his child and being a good parent to him," LaValley said. Assistant District Attorney Bill Marshall said the DA's office decided not to file charges because of changes to the Oregon child-abandonment law. House Bill 199 says if a parent gives a child to hospital workers or other public authorities within 30 days of its birth and it has not been abused, the parent doesn't have to be charged with child abandonment. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing