This is an example of a National Safe Haven Alliance sign similar to what will be posted at the Edinburgh police and fire departments.
Edinburgh officials want people living near the southern Johnson County town to know they have the option to surrender a newborn if they’re unable to care for it.
The Edinburgh police and fire departments have partnered with the National Safe Haven Alliance, an organization that advocates for Safe Haven laws and provides resources to parents experiencing an unplanned pregnancy through a national crisis hotline.
Under Indiana’s Safe Haven law, parents can surrender an infant up to 30 days old anonymously and without fear of arrest or prosecution. Indiana parents can place their child in a baby box, or hand their child directly to an emergency medical services professional under the law.
Edinburgh officials plan to install a baby box at a new fire station they’re planning to build on County Road 900 North. They joined the Safe Haven Alliance to raise awareness for the law in the interim, said Doyne Little, Edinburgh police chief.
The town’s police station, at 200 S. Main St., and fire station, at 203 S. Walnut St., will install signage this week designating those locations as safe places to surrender newborns.
The signs note that babies can only be surrendered when there is staff present, Little said.
The law requires there to be an exchange of custody from the parent to a public safety official. Handing over a baby to a police officer or firefighter will not come with any legal consequences unless there are signs of intentional abuse. Parents won’t be asked questions, but they can share any information they feel comfortable sharing, such as date of birth, race, family medical history or any health conditions the baby has, he said.
Police officers and firefighters who receive the baby would take temporary custody of the child. They are required to take the baby to the hospital for a medical check-up, and to contact the Indiana Department of Child Services so it can be placed with a caregiver.
Police officers and firefighters will ensure the baby is handed over to a DCS caseworker and give parents peace of mind knowing their child will be safe. As part of the partnership with the National Safe Haven Alliance, brochures with resources for mothers facing an unplanned pregnancy will also be on hand, Little said.
“This is for not only the baby, but the mother and the mother’s wellbeing,” he said. “We are hoping to prevent mothers who don’t feel like they have a choice from just — I hate to say it — dumping their baby.”
For more information, visit nationalsafehavenalliance.org.
