Idaho hospital to place baby safe haven box near pro-abortion Oregon hospital

An Idaho hospital near the Oregon border is moving forward with plans to install a Safe Haven Baby Box, offering mothers in crisis a way to safely surrender newborn babies.

Weiser Memorial Hospital, located just a few miles from Oregon, secured funding for the baby box and plans to install it on hospital property. The box allows a parent to anonymously leave a newborn in a secure and temperature-controlled space, triggering an alert, so medical staff can immediately care for the child.

Hospital officials said the goal is to provide a last-resort option that prioritizes the life and safety of newborns while offering privacy to mothers who feel overwhelmed or afraid. 

“If we save one baby, it is all worth it,” said Beau McNeff, the hospital’s chief executive officer. 

Once a baby is placed inside the box, alarms notify hospital staff so the infant can be retrieved and given medical attention within minutes. The boxes are designed to prevent abandonment while ensuring children are not left in unsafe conditions. 

The decision drew praise from Oregon Right to Life. The organization said the location of the box is especially significant because of Oregon’s abortion policies and proximity to abortion providers. 

“The hospital will be the first in the area to install a box of this kind, giving moms a life-affirming option in a region targeted by Planned Parenthood for abortion tourism,” its statement said. 

Oregon Right to Life noted baby boxes have already been installed in more than 20 states. It credited the program with saving lives in states such as Wisconsin, Kentucky and Indiana. 

“The boxes are designed to immediately alert staff so that the surrendered babies will be quickly retrieved and cared for,” the group said. 

The move by Weiser Memorial Hospital comes as Oregon continues to expand taxpayer support for abortion providers. 

In November 2025, Oregon lawmakers approved $7.5 million in state funding for Planned Parenthood after the organization lost federal funding. State officials said the money was necessary to preserve abortion access. 

Oregon has few restrictions on abortion and requires insurance plans to cover the life-ending procedure. Oregon officials have also said they will not cooperate with efforts by other states to prosecute abortion providers. 

Meanwhile, the Idaho hospital’s decision reflects a different approach. It focuses on protecting newborn life while responding to difficult situations faced by mothers.