Babies safely surrendered in Mississippi, Iowa under safe haven laws

Two more babies are safe and on the path to adoption – thanks to safe haven laws in Mississippi and Iowa.

Last week, a woman surrendered a baby through a baby box at Simpson General Hospital in Mendenhall, Mississippi. It marked just the second such surrender in the state since the hospital installed its baby box in January 2024.

Five of these boxes are currently operational in Mississippi, with over 340 available nationwide, WLBT reports.

The process ensures anonymity and safety. Once the infant enters the climate-controlled baby box, the door locks and a silent alarm notifies hospital staff. Within five minutes, the child is retrieved and taken for a medical evaluation before being placed with a family on the path to adoption.

“When communities are prepared for anonymous surrender, we can radically change the outcome,” said Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes. “This mother was selfless. We know these are not light decisions, and this infant will soon be adopted by a family praying for a child.” 

Safe Haven Baby Boxes added in a Facebook post, “While we know this was a gut-wrenching decision for this mother, we are proud of her for keeping her baby safe.” 

Kelsey started the organization in 2016 after learning she had been abandoned as a newborn. 

Additionally, in Iowa, a baby girl was surrendered under the state’s Safe Haven Law in May. 

The child was born May 23 and is in the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services’ custody, KCCI reports. She will be placed with a foster family until adoption proceedings begin. 

Iowa’s law lets parents surrender an infant up to 90 days old at hospitals or fire stations without facing abandonment charges. 

So far this year, three babies have been safely surrendered. Since the law took effect over 20 years ago, 77 infants have been surrendered. 

Baby boxes generally cost around $20,000 each, according to Stateline. 

Texas enacted the first safe haven law in 1999, called the Baby Moses law. By 2008, every state had passed similar legislation. 

Since 2017, 59 infants have been safely surrendered nationwide through baby boxes. 

The National Safe Haven Alliance operates a confidential 24/7 hotline for parents in crisis considering a safe surrender. Its phone number is 888-510-BABY (2229).