Collier County commissioners have unanimously approved the county’s first Safe Haven Baby Box, providing mothers in crisis with a safe and legal way to surrender unwanted newborns anonymously.
The $22,000 box will be installed at EMS Station 76 near the intersection of Vanderbilt Beach Road and Logan Boulevard. It will include a climate-controlled space where a desperate parent can leave their newborn without fear of being reported.
“It gives another avenue for somebody who is in a situation where they are maybe not able to care for their newborn child. They can leave that child in an appropriate spot,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, spokesperson for the North Collier Fire District.
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Collier County approves first “Safe Haven Baby Box” for parents in crisis
This will be the third Safe Haven Baby Box in Florida.
Mazurkiewicz emphasized that the goal is to offer a legal and secure option for parents in crisis, which could prevent illegal abandonment of infants.