Rights of surrendering parent

(a) Right to Regain Custody. - Prior to the filing of a termination of parental rights petition under Article 11 of this Subchapter, a surrendering parent has the right to contact the county department of social services where the infant was surrendered and request the infant's return to his or her custody. The director shall treat any such request as a report of neglect and comply with the provisions of G.S. 7B-302. (b) Right of Relinquishment. - The safe surrender of an infant under this Article does not preclude the surrendering parent from executing a relinquishment of their parental rights for adoption with the local department of social services which received the safely surrendered infant. (c) Immunity. - A parent surrendering an infant pursuant to this Article is immune from any civil liability or criminal prosecution in accordance with G.S. 14-322.3 as long as the surrendering parent was acting in good faith. The immunity established by this section does not extend to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing that would otherwise be actionable. (2023-14, s. 6.2(a).)