Indiana Installs Drop Boxes For Mothers To Leave Unwanted Babies In

Indiana has recently installed its latest box for people to safely drop off their unwanted babies. Called the Safe Haven Baby Box the boxes are the first of hundreds which will be made available across the state.

The first was installed at Woodburn Volunteer Fire Department with the second at Cool Spring Fire Department in Michigan City. They're padded, climate-controlled incubartors made especially for newborns. They're also hooked up to a security system and will alert emergency personnel in the building who will be there immediately.

"Anything we can do to make that specific situation better,' said Wes Rogers, captain at the Cool Spring Fire Department told IndyStar about installing the controversial boxes. "We try to do it every day with running our calls, fighting fires and helping sick people. This is just another way to help."

America has something called the safe haven law which is a statue that means it is legal to leave an unharmed infant at a safe location provided for by the state. The law is there to prevent babies from being abandoned at places where they might come to harm.

Opponents of the Safe Haven Baby Box believe that making it easier for people to abandon their child will mean they'll do so without considering their options thoroughly. And that the boxes are dangerous.

While supporters say that people want anonymity and this gives them that. Plus the boxes are closely monitored alerting someone as soon as it's opened so babies can be picked up immediately rather being left somewhere and having to wait for authorities to arrive.

“This is not criminal,” Monica Kelsey, a volunteer at Woodburn Fire Department and advocate of the boxes said. “This is legal. We don’t want to push women away.” Kelsey herself was abandoned by her mother when she was only a few hours old.