Batesville, IN—Margaret Mary Health recently installed a Safe Haven Baby Box which allows mothers to safely, securely and anonymously surrender their newborn if they’re unable to provide care. The Baby Box, which was unlocked for use on Friday, June 12, has been installed on the exterior wall of the hospital which faces Mitchell Avenue. It was made possible through a grant from the Margaret Mary Health Foundation, thanks to the generosity of the William A. & Martha H. Hillenbrand Foundation.
In 2000, Indiana enacted the Safe Haven Law which allows a mother to give up her unwanted infant under the age of 30 days without fear of arrest or prosecution. The Baby Box automatically locks when a newborn is placed inside and a notification is sent to medical professionals. An MMH team member can quickly secure the surrendered newborn from an interior door.
According to the Safe Haven Baby Boxes website, eight babies have been surrendered inside Baby Boxes since the first was installed in 2016. Nationwide, 76 surrenders have resulted from calls to the Safe Haven Baby Boxes national hotline. The Safe Haven Baby Box organization staffs a 24-hour hotline (866-99BABY1) to give women the opportunity to talk to a trained professional as they consider safely surrendering their baby. This is the 29th Safe Haven Baby Box installed in the United States and the 25th installed in the state of Indiana.
