2 infants surrendered to new Safe Haven Baby Box before it was blessed

Two newborns were surrendered to the first Safe Haven Baby Box before it was blessed. (Source: City of Little Rock Fire Department, Gray News)
Published: May 16, 2024 at 10:22 AM CDT
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Gray News) – Two newborns were surrendered to the first Safe Haven Baby Box in Little Rock, Arkansas, before it was even blessed.

“In just the last few weeks, we have had two instances of parents who have surrendered their newborn babies at our fire stations because they believed they had no other choice, for whatever the reason,” Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said.

The City of Little Rock Fire Department hosted a public dedication ceremony of the Safe Haven Baby Box Wednesday afternoon, where a pastor from Calvary Baptist Church blessed the box. The church funded the project to provide the first baby box location in the Little Rock community.

The Safe Haven Baby Box program offers a resource for mothers with no other options and advocates for infants who can’t speak for themselves.

The baby boxes are located in multiple states and have heating and cooling elements to provide comfort for the infant, along with silent alarms to notify first responders.

The babies were checked by medics and then taken to the hospital for further evaluation. They will likely be adopted by a family within 30 to 45 days.

“Our ultimate responsibility in each of those cases was to protect the infant’s well-being. The installation of a Safe Haven Baby Box will ensure parents in crisis will have a 24/7, last-resort option to surrender their newborns and ensure the health and safety of the child,” Scott said.

Officials with the Department of Child Services conduct interviews to find a forever home for the newborn.

“While it is unfortunate that these are necessary, I appreciate the support of Calvary Baptist Church, Chief Hubbard and the Fire Department and others who have worked to install the first baby box in Little Rock,” Scott said.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes offer free medical and counseling resources for the mother should she need them.

If you need help finding a Safe Haven location or would like to speak to a licensed counselor, call the National Safe Haven crisis hotline at 1-866-99BABY1.