| INDIANAPOLIS- Recently, there was a tragic death of an infant in Indiana, who was abandoned at a local park. To prevent these terrible circumstances, I wanted to remind you of Indiana's Safe Haven Law. The idea of abandoning a newborn infant is unimaginable. The reality is some parents believe this is their only option, but it isn't. Under the Safe Haven Law, first passed in 2000, a person can anonymously surrender an infant without fear of arrest or prosecution. In 2017 and 2018, Indiana expanded the Safe Haven Law to allow for baby boxes at limited locations including hospitals and fire stations with 24-7 emergency medical service staffing. In 2021 the state allowed EMS stations to implement these lifesaving measures. This past session, we passed legislation extending the age to be considered a Safe Haven infant from 30 days to 60 days. Safe Haven Baby Boxes are incubators in which an infant can be safely surrendered. Emergency medical service providers are immediately alerted, and the baby is examined and if needed, given medical treatment. | |||||
| There are more than 100 Safe Haven Baby Boxes installed in Indiana and over 350 nationwide. Women who are pregnant and in need of help can call or text the Safe Haven Crisis Hotline at 866-99BABY1 or visit shbb.org. To learn more about Indiana's Safe Haven Law, click here. To learn more about the National Safe Haven Alliance, click here. Please share this resource and information with others, so we can continue to prevent infant deaths and illegal child abandonment in Indiana. | |||||
