Since 1999, about 1,600 cases of illegal infant abandonment have been recorded. These are babies who are left in a dumpster, by the side of the road, in a park, or in one startling case at a crime scene after a theft.In the same time period, about 4,500 babies have been safely and legally surrendered under the Safe Haven law. Part of that option, the Safe Haven Baby Box, is now available in 36 locations in Arkansas.
Arkansas’s Safe Haven law allows parents to take a child up to 30 days old to a hospital, fire station, or police station and put the baby in the care of a responsible person. The parent does not have to share her name, but will be asked to provide some information for the safety of the baby. She will also be offered medical care and counseling. She can just give the baby to a worker and leave if that is her preference.
Safe Haven Baby Box
A Safe Haven Baby Box is a secure, temperature-controlled drop box on the outside of a building covered under the Safe Haven law. When a baby is placed in the box, it automatically triggers a 911 call, so that workers will know the baby is there. The baby is quickly removed, provided medical care, and placed in a foster home.
In some cases, Arkansas Emergency Medical Care for Children also provides Baby Box Kits along with the Baby Boxes. These kits include not only a car seat, diapers, and blankets, but also medical supplies such as a pediatric oximeter and an OB kit. Such supplies are readily available at a hospital,
The primary purpose of a Safe Haven Baby Box is to prevent illegal abandonment of infants. Fewer than half of abandoned babies survive the experience, and the desperate women who abandon their babies are prosecuted as criminals. With the Baby Boxes, the women have the option to leave the child in a safe place, legally, without having to come face to face with another person.
Baby Boxes in Arkansas
With the latest installation at a fire station in North Little Rock, Arkansas has 37 Baby Boxes. These are the locations in Northwest Arkansas:
- Rogers Fire Station #5: 2525 South Pinnacle Hills Parkway in Rogers
- Rogers Fire Station #7: 7200 South 1st St in Rogers
- Siloam Springs Fire Department: 1450 Cheri Whitlock Dr. in Siloam Springs
- Springdale Fire Station #6: 1623 S 48th St in Springdale
Arkansas allows infants up to one month old to be placed in these boxes. The laws vary from state to state. In Colorado, for example, babies must be 72 hours old or younger. There is some discussion about extending the law there to be more like the one in Arkansas, but each state is free to set its own rules.
Alternatives
Someone who is alone with an infant she feels unable or unwilling to care for is surely grateful to have the choice of relinquishing the baby safely and without fear of judgement. But there are other options. A woman facing an unplanned pregnancy can plan an adoption instead. Beginning the process before the baby’s birth makes her eligible for help and support she needs. She can choose the family her child will join and arrange for the level of contact she wants, from none to regular visits. She can experience the gratitude of the adoptive parents and move on with her life in a positive frame of mind.
If you are considering adoption, call Heimer Law at (479) 225-9725 for answers to your questions — free and with no obligation.
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