It’s a sad fact of life: Sometimes parents aren't equipped to care for a baby, or never wanted one in the first place. Now, the state of Indiana is recognizing that by installing two “baby boxes,” where parents can anonymously drop off unwanted newborns.
The boxes were added to two of the state’s fire stations to help give parents a secure place to leave infants.
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Here’s how it works: When someone opens the box, 911 is immediately called and rescue personnel are sent to the scene. The box is padded and climate-controlled, so the baby can stay safe and comfortable while waiting for help to arrive. It also automatically locks once a person shuts the door.
The boxes contain motion sensors that trigger a second 911 call after movement is detected inside, to ensure operators know it's not a hoax. Once help arrives, the baby will be sent to a local hospital for evaluation, and then will be placed with the state’s child protective services.
Monica Kelsey, a volunteer firefighter and the founder of the nonprofit that created the boxes, tells NBC News that they've gotten as many as 95 calls in one day from women asking about the boxes. But so far, they haven’t been used yet. Her organization also plans to install two more boxes in the future.
Indiana has a safe haven law that allows a person to anonymously give up an unwanted infant less than 30 days old without fear of being arrested or prosecuted. The state also has restrictive abortion laws, including a ban on the procedure in cases of fetal anomaly, which increases the odds that more unwanted babies will be born in the future.
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"The boxes are literally a last resort," Kelsey says. "They're the last line of defense that we are going to give these women."
