An Idaho teenager has been arrested after an investigation into a deceased infant that was placed inside of a hospital’s Safe Haven Baby Box last month.
According to NBC News, the baby was placed inside of the box at Grove Creek Medical Center in Blackfoot, Idaho on Oct. 13. Within a minute, the medical team responded to the alarm that a baby was placed there. However, it was discovered that the baby was dead long before she was placed in the box.
"The Safe Haven Baby Box is intended to safely and anonymously allow custodial parents to surrender a newborn under 30 days old without legal repercussions, provided the child is unharmed," the Blackfoot Police Department said in a news release Friday.
"Unfortunately, the placement of a harmed or deceased infant is not protected under this system or Idaho law,” the police department added.
As a result, an investigation took place. On Thursday, 18-year-old Angel N. Newberry of Twin Falls was arrested for failure to report a death to law enforcement and the coroner, NBC noted.
"Due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation and the potential for further criminal charges, we are limited in the information we can provide," police reportedly said.
An 18-year-old allegedly left a newborn baby in a hospital's Safe Haven Baby Box that had already been dead "long before being placed in the baby box."https://t.co/TLcD2aJ8gl
— WEAR ABC 3 (@weartv) November 24, 2024
Newberry was booked into the Bingham County Jail.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are located at many hospitals and fire departments across the country to give parents the option to surrender their child.
Monica Kelsey, the creator of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, responded to the incident in a statement on Facebook.
“We are heartbroken. Let this be clear: this is an illegal, deadly abandonment. Anonymity is only allowed when an infant is safely surrendered completely unharmed. We are fully cooperating with the investigation and providing all information we possess to local authorities. When the baby was placed in the box, she was wrapped in a blanket with the placenta still attached,” she wrote.
“As the only organization that provides an anonymous surrender option, we are on the front lines of educating the public on how this program works. We will continue to educate citizens on the stark differences between illegal abandonment and legal, safe surrender of an unharmed newborn,” Kelsey added.
“Our organization is on a mission to end infant abandonment. Since 2017, 52 infants have been lovingly surrendered at our baby box locations. These babies have gone on to be quickly adopted by families who have eagerly awaited the chance to adopt an infant. When utilized, the program saves lives and protects women in crisis. However, in any situation where the Safe Haven Law is violated, our organization will work diligently with law enforcement for justice for the infant who is illegally abandoned,” she concluded.