GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A bill is making its way through Lansing that, if approved, would allow for the use of baby drop boxes under the state’s Safe Delivery Law.
House Bill 5407 seeks to amend the law to allow for the anonymous surrendering of infants who are less than 3 days old by a parent or parents.
“Anonymity should be an option,” said Rep. Gina Johnsen, R-Lake Odessa, a co-sponsor on the bill. “Some women are afraid of repercussions of being found out that they did this. There’s stigmas attached to so many (of these) things.”
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Fifteen states have adopted use of the Safe Haven Baby Boxes . The devices notify first responders of activation after the exterior door or drop off door closes.
“If we don’t have a safety net for the dire straight situation, we’re going to end up with more babies lost and possibly more women injured or dying because they’re trying to do it on their own,” she said.
In effect since 2000, Michigan’s Safe Delivery of Newborns Law allows parents or a parent to surrender their newborn directly into the hands of a uniformed employee inside or on duty at a hospital, fire department, police station or ambulance. The newborn is then placed for adoption.