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Plans to install baby box move forward; fundraising underway
SIKESTON — Sikeston City Council recently approved the installation of a Safe Haven Baby Box at the new fire station under development, and now local fundraising efforts are underway to help fund the baby box.
According to Jonathan Douglass, city manager of Sikeston, a Safe Haven Baby Box is a climate-controlled, alerted box that can be accessible 24/7 from the exterior of the building and where a newborn can be securely relinquished by a parent in distress.
Currently, the baby box in Sikeston would be the second in Missouri, with the other being in St. Louis.
Douglass said under Missouri’s Safe Place for Newborns Act, a parent can anonymously surrender a child 45 days or younger to specific persons and facilities, including firemen and law enforcement personnel, without risk of being prosecuted for child abandonment.
Douglass said this will encourage parents in distress to put their infant in a safe environment. City Council approved the baby box installation at its April 29 meeting. The site of the new fire station, which is under development, is on East Malone Avenue, between Merrick’s and Burger King. The new fire station will replace Fire Station 2 located on North Main Street.
Meredyth McKelvey, an advocate for the Safe Haven Baby Box, said local activists are raising funds for the box’s first purchase and installation, which would cost between $11,000 and $15,000.
Following that, Douglass said the city will pay a $500 renewal fee every five years, as well as $300 in yearly payments to Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc.
McKelvey said most individuals are unaware of the Missouri Safe Haven Law.
“A parent can technically submit a child to a hospital, police station or fire station, but a lot of the time there is a stigma or embarrassment or maybe some shame around having to make that decision, even though it may be a very selfless thing to do,” McKelvey said.
She continued: “So, these boxes allow a parent to do that anonymously.”
McKelvey said Safe Haven also has a 24/7 crisis line that will allow someone to inquire about the box as well.
“Maybe someone is considering submitting a baby but isn’t sure, or maybe if given the proper resources, it would enable them to keep their child, so they can call the crisis line and get information on local resources in their area,” McKelvey said.
According to McKelvey and Douglass, if a baby is placed in the box, it will automatically call 911 and sound an alarm within the fire station, alerting officers.
McKelvey said there will also be a silent alarm that will notify the fire station instantly when the infant is placed in the box.
Douglass said the infant would be entirely safe because the box is climate-controlled, and that the baby would be in there for no more than five minutes. Officers will also be trained on what to do if a baby is left in the box.
Douglass said if this occurred, the baby would be immediately transferred to the Division of Social Services.
Anyone who is interested in making a donation to help fund Sikeston’s baby box should contact Douglass at 573-471-2512 at Sikeston City Hall for more information.
For more information on the baby boxes, visit the Safe Haven website https://www.shbb.org/