JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The State of Missouri is taking more strides to ensure the safety and wellbeing of newborns by implementing the first and only Safe Haven Baby Box in operation just a few years after passing legislation to allow another option to struggling parents.
State Representative Jim Murphy sponsored the legislation allowing for Safe Haven Baby Boxes, which passed into law in 2021, and now the first baby rescue box will be installed in Missouri with a dedication ceremony on Tuesday, August 8th.
Rep. Murphy, along with Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe and other dignitaries, will be on hand at the Mehlville Fire Protection District’s Station 2 for the dedication.
The Safe Haven Baby Box is a safety device that allows a mother in crisis to safely place a newborn into a secured incubator in the event that they are unable to care for the child. The baby box is installed on an exterior wall at a designated fire station or hospital, with exterior door that automatically locks upon placement of a newborn inside the Baby Box, and an interior door that allows a medical staff member to secure the surrendered newborn from inside the designated building.
“This life-saving measure can greatly affect the lives of both children and parents,” Murphy, R-St. Louis, said. “Many of the mothers in crisis are not prepared or able to give these children the care they need and deserve, and by placing these baby boxes in Missouri, we can offer an alternative option that gives that child a chance they might not otherwise have. This is a major step in the fight against child abandonment, and truly signals that the life of each and every child is precious.”