THE WOODLANDS – After a string of newborn abandonments in our area, officials are trying to provide women in crisis with more options to surrender their babies safely.
As part of this effort, The Woodlands Township Board of Directors is working to establish the Houston area’s first Safe Haven Baby Box.
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Baby Boxes are installed in the exterior wall of a fire station or hospital. The babies can be surrendered by opening the box door and placing them in the temperature-controlled bassinet inside. After the exterior door is closed, it will lock and trigger three failsafe alarms to notify personnel in less than two minutes. Once they arrive, they will get the infant and bring it to the nearest emergency room.
No security cameras are placed around the Baby Boxes, ensuring anonymity.
Dr. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs serves as a director on The Woodlands Township Board and was inspired to establish a Baby Box after a harrowing incident in the area.
“A baby had been found in an urn in one of our ponds, and it was a shock to me,” Dr. Sekula-Gibbs said.
While the baby was likely a miscarriage and not full term, it caused Dr. Sekula-Gibbs to think seriously about finding more options for women in crisis. After researching online, she came across Safe Haven Baby Boxes and knew The Woodlands needed one of their own.
“It’s completely anonymous and it’s legal. And that’s the underscoring of all of it. It’s legal and women deserve to have a legal option to surrender their babies anonymously.”
According to SafeHaven.Org, a total of 51 babies have been safely surrendered to Baby Boxes across the United States.
Three Baby Boxes have been installed in Texas within the last year, in Abilene, Lubbock, and as of last Wednesday, Corsicana.
The Woodlands Township Board of Directors will vote on the budget for the Baby Box contract next week, and Dr. Sekula-Gibbs said it will cost between $15-20,000 to install.
“Hopefully no family would ever need this, but if they do, how wonderful to have a safe way to surrender your child into the loving arms of a new family.”