Alabama’s recently expanded Safe Haven Law allows for “baby boxes” to be installed on the exterior walls of fire stations and hospitals where mothers can anonymously dump their unwanted babies.
Footage shared on X demonstrating how the box operates shows a safe-like structure with a heavy door that opens to reveal a sad-looking box where mothers can “surrender” their babies without facing legal repercussions; the other side of the box has a transparent window with ventilation holes and opens up inside the facility where it is installed.
These boxes are installed at sites that have emergency workers on site 24/7, and an alarm inside the box alerts them that a baby has been placed inside. Cameras are installed inside the box as well, and the interior is a climate-controlled environment.
When the door is opened, an orange bag drops out that contains information for the mother, such as where to get free counseling, medical information and resources for victims of human trafficking. This information is also available on their website, where they explain what physical and mental symptoms are normal after giving birth, how to stop the flow of breast milk, and what symptoms to look out for; this information is also provided in Spanish.
There is also documentation about the mother’s legal rights and what they can do if they change their mind – a process that entails petitioning courts for the return of custody and undergoing genetic testing to confirm they are the parent.
When the alarm goes off, medics will remove the baby from the box, carry out an initial exam and bring the baby to a local hospital for a more in-depth exam and any needed treatment. They will also confirm that the baby has not been reported missing. It will then be placed in the care of the state’s child protective services before becoming eligible for adoption.
The boxes can be used within 45 days of birth, and they provide an alternative way for mothers to hand over babies who may be uncomfortable bringing them to emergency rooms and seeing hospital personnel face to face.
U.S. now has 257 boxes for abandoning babies
Alabama isn’t the only state to set up these boxes; they are increasingly being installed throughout the nation. When the state of Kentucky installed its 39th “safe haven baby box” this week, it marked the 257th such box in the nation.
The idea is to prevent unsafe abandonments. Every year, there are numerous stories around the country of women leaving babies in dumpsters, public restrooms and other inappropriate locations because they couldn’t face authorities or feared they would be recognized. In many cases, these babies end up dying.
However, the idea of dumping a helpless newborn in a box and hoping the system works as it should is pretty tough to process, and it’s also not a very cheap option. The initial fee for baby boxes in Alabama is more than $15,000, with yearly recertification and upkeep fees of $500 and further fees of as much as $7,000 related to delivery, transportation, installation and alarm services.
That’s a very expensive (and often taxpayer-funded) solution to a “problem” that already has multiple other solutions already available, including dropping off babies that can’t be cared for in person at fire stations, hospitals or other locations designated by each state as safe havens where babies can be left without mothers facing legal repercussions.
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