OSAGE COUNTY — Per a press release issued on Aug. 14 by Osage Ambulance District, the district is officially partnering with Safe Haven Baby Boxes to bring Safe Surrender Boxes to Osage County. These boxes will be installed at the Osage Ambulance District Headquarters at 119 South Highway 89 in Linn, and at Osage Ambulance District Base 3 at 1001 East First Street in Belle.

This comes in response to a June 15 incident in Maries County where an infant was found abandoned in a Walmart bag.

In Missouri, parents can legally and anonymously surrender an unharmed newborn up to 45 days old at designated Safe Haven locations, including hospitals, fire stations, and with EMS providers. Now, with the addition of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Osage County will provide an even safer, more anonymous option for parents in crisis.

Each Safe Surrender Box will cost approximately $20,000, which must be collected locally. Donations are being collected and held by Safe Haven Baby Boxes until the project is fully funded. After installation, the Osage Ambulance District will take over annual maintenance.

A Safe Haven Baby Box is a designated location where parents can anonymously and safely leave an infant they are unable or unwilling to care for. The process involves opening the box’s secure door, placing the baby inside, and then closing the door. Once the door is shut, a continuously monitored sensor alerts authorities to retrieve the baby.

These boxes aim to prevent unsafe abandonment and ensure that infants are placed in proper care, following legal protocols.

Missouri’s Safe Place for Newborns Law allows a parent to surrender a newborn up to 45 days old without prosecution, as long as it is done safely and according to law. Parents who choose to surrender a child who is more than 45 days old (but less than one year old) can use this law as an affirmative defense to charges related to child abandonment and child endangerment, again if it is done so safely and according to law.

This action is permanent and does not negate the rights of the other parent. The newborn must be safe and left with an appropriate professional. Missouri law defines “appropriate professional” as a law enforcement officer (whether on duty or off duty), firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), hospital staff, maternity home staff, pregnancy center staff, a volunteer at a hospital, maternity home or pregnancy center, or any staff in a health care provider position while off duty at a hospital, maternity home or pregnancy center.

More information about Missouri’s Safe Place for Newborns Law can be found at dss.mo.gov/cd/keeping-kids-safe/safe-place-for-newborns.htm.

According to the Safe Haven Baby Boxes website, the company’s mission is to prevent illegal abandonment of newborns by raising awareness, offering a 24-hour hot-line for mothers in crisis and offering the Safe Haven Baby Boxes as a last resort option for women who want to maintain complete anonymity.

Women in crisis can call the national 24-hour hot-line, to receive counseling and assistance free of charge. To date, the hot-line has received over 9,000 calls from every state in the United States. The phone number for their crisis line is 1-866-99BABY1. 

Safe Haven Baby Boxes website further states that they have referred over 500 women to crisis pregnancy centers, assisted in 9 adoption referrals, and have had over 150 legal Safe Haven surrenders. Forty-Nine babies have been surrendered in their baby boxes, and three babies were surrendered directly to firefighters at Safe Haven Baby Box locations.

To make a donation toward the Osage County boxes, please visit https://secure.qgiv.com/for/missourilocations and select “OSAGE COUNTY” to direct your funds to the appropriate project. Information will be added to the Osage Ambulance District webpage soon, including a donation tracker to keep people updated on the progress.

“Your contribution can help save lives and offer hope to those who need it most,” wrote EMS Chief Josh Krull. “Together, we can make a lasting impact on our community.”