Two newborns were recently surrendered to the first Safe Haven Baby Box in Little Rock, Arkansas, even before the box was officially blessed, according to a report from WAFB9.
Mayor Frank Scott Jr. expressed his concern over the two instances where parents felt they had no choice but to surrender their newborn babies at fire stations. These Baby Boxes were created to prevent parents from abandoning their infants, providing a safe and legal option for at-risk mothers to place their newborns inside the temperature-controlled incubators. Once the baby is placed inside, the outside door locks and an alarm alerts first responders or hospital staff.
After being quickly removed and sent to the hospital for a wellness check, the baby is usually placed into state custody and possibly adopted. The City of Little Rock Fire Department held a public dedication ceremony for the baby box, with a blessing from a pastor at Calvary Baptist Church who funded the installation.
Mayor Scott emphasized the importance of protecting the infant’s well-being in such cases and highlighted the 24/7 last-resort option for parents in crisis to surrender their newborns. He expressed appreciation for the support from Calvary Baptist Church, Chief Hubbard, the Fire Department, and others involved in installing the first baby box in Little Rock.
