Crazy as it might sound, a “safe haven baby box”, where unwanted newborns can be dropped off, has been introduced in US state Indiana.  

 

The first box has been placed inside the wall of the Woodburn Volunteer Fire Department building, with many more set to be installed across the state.

 

How it works is that the second a baby is placed in the box – which is padded and heated – emergency staff are notified and can reach the child within minutes. The box locks when the infant is placed inside so no one else can access it until the team arrive.

 

In Indiana, the Safe Haven Law means it’s legal for parents to give up an unwanted baby anonymously.

 

 

 

According to the founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Monica Kelsey, the scheme is beneficial for both parent and baby, as the box ensures anonymity, while the baby is kept safe.

 

“This is not criminal,” she says. “This is legal. We don’t want to push women away.”

 

Authorities hope the boxes will discourage parents from leaving babies in the woods, or in even in bins, while critics of the scheme have expressed concern that the boxes make it far too easy for parents to give up a child.

 

 

It's hard not to find the whole idea terribly sad. 

 

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