Starke Co Commissioners approve Safe Haven Baby Box in Knox

Monday, March 11, 2024 at 12:58 AM

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Plans are underway for a Safe Haven Baby Box to be installed this summer in Starke County.

It is to be placed at the Knox EMS Base beside Northwest Health Hospital.

The baby box was recently approved during a Starke County Commissioners meeting, where Starke County Attorney Justin Schramm said more than a dozen community members attended in support of the cause. Schramm said the commissioners had agreed that the baby box was a great step forward for Starke County, and will benefit the safety and welfare of the community.

Even better, Schramm said, when an idea like this is brought to commissioners and the cost is already covered.

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The Safe Haven Baby Box program was designed to help prevent the illegal abandonment of newborns, standing as a last resort option that is anonymous for mothers in crisis.

The baby box is climate controlled, has multiple alarms that notify first responders who will be trained on ensuring a five minute response time for the baby.

The Safe Baby Box organization will provide assistance in raising funding, consultations on their program, and administrative / legal resources. The organization also helps with raising awareness about its service within the community, and includes a 24 / 7 hotline for mothers in crisis.

The hope is for the baby box to be installed by June 30. Currently, the closest baby box near Starke County is in Plymouth. There are also other Safe Haven Baby Boxes in nearby areas like Rochester, Warsaw and Logansport.