What Happens When an Amish Couple Finds a Baby Left on Their Porch?

Have you ever wondered what an Amish family does when a baby is left on their porch? Around 1976, a widow and her daughter near Gordonville, Pennsylvania watched someone leave a basket on their porch late at night, and then saw tiny hands moving inside. One note up front: the real documented case involved a widow, not a couple, so this video follows the story as it was reported. With no phone in the house, the widow’s son walked more than a mile, borrowed a neighbor’s buggy, and used a Mennonite family’s telephone to call the police. We follow the baby from the porch to the hospital, where she became Baby A, Jane Doe, and Rebecca before being adopted seven months later and renamed Diane. Forty years later, she returned to the farmhouse, met the family who found her, and learned they had long regretted not keeping her. This is also a look at how things work today. We cover how the Amish approach adoption, what Pennsylvania’s Safe Haven law now allows, and what would happen if an Amish couple found a baby today, including licensing, home studies, and the county agency’s decision. Watch to see how one small basket, one frightened family, and one night stayed with a community for forty years. If you or someone you know is pregnant and afraid, Pennsylvania’s Safe Haven Helpline is 1-866-921-SAFE. DISCLAIMER: This documentary is based on historical research and documented Amish traditions. Practices may vary between communities.