A Tale of Three Baby Surrenders
From Laura Strietmann, Executive Director
In North Austin, Texas, a newborn baby girl was found this week alive in a dumpster. Thankfully, nearby residents heard her cries and rushed to help, ensuring she received the care she needed. Bloody, weak, and with her umbilical cord still attached, neighbors saved her life. She was taken to a local hospital where she is stable, and it is expected she will soon be adopted into a loving home. What a blessing!
This precious child did not have to be discarded as trash. Texas has a Safe Haven, or “Baby Moses,” law that allows parents who feel unable to parent safely, surrender their child to a Safe Haven Baby Box at a local fire station. Officials reported the system worked exactly as intended, alerting first responders who immediately began care.
Meanwhile, in neighboring states, we’ve seen mothers in crisis making use of life-saving options. In the St. Louis, MO area, a newborn was safely surrendered through a newly installed Safe Haven Baby Box at a local fire station. Officials reported the system worked exactly as intended, alerting first responders who immediately began care.
Assistant Chief Andy Parrish of the O’Fallon Fire Protection District shared: “We are grateful this resource was used to protect the life of a child and provide peace of mind for a parent in need. Everything worked as intended, and care was started right away.”
Safe Haven Baby Boxes allow parents to safely and anonymously surrender newborns up to 45 days old. Once placed inside the box, alarms notify trained crews who respond within minutes.
In Alabama, two more babies were also surrendered and saved this month. In the small town of Muscle Shoals, a newborn was placed in their Safe Haven Baby Box. Fire Chief John Hyde reflected, “This box saving even one life last night means it was completely worth installing it… Our role is to provide a safe place, because there are too many other places a baby could end up that are not safe. This gives the baby a chance at life.”
And in Montgomery, AL Fire and Rescue confirmed that a newborn girl, believed to be less than a week old, was “safely and anonymously surrendered” in their Safe Haven Baby Box in August. “She was healthy, well-fed,” said Assistant Fire Chief Craig Carr Jr. “She was taken to Baptist South to be checked out.”
These recent events — one a near-tragedy and several others safe surrenders — underscore the vital importance of providing resources that protect the lives of the most vulnerable while also supporting parents in crisis.
May we not forget that closer to home, less than a year ago, a baby was safely surrendered in Lebanon, Ohio, in their newly installed Safe Haven Baby Box. This sweet child is believed to be the first baby surrendered and saved in Ohio.
Every child is a wanted child. From the neighbors who rushed to save the baby in the dumpster, to the firefighters who responded in seconds, to the families who have been praying and waiting for the chance to adopt — each circumstance is a miracle. These stories remind us that every life has value and that with compassion and courage, hope always triumphs. Life wins.
May these miracles move us to deeper compassion, stronger support, and a greater commitment to defending every life. Thank you Cincinnati Right to Life community! If anyone in our community would like to help support the expense of installing a Safe Haven Baby Box locally, Cincinnati Right to Life is eager to work toward that goal. Together, we can ensure a box is placed in a township that would welcome and support this life-saving resource — giving parents in crisis a safe option and protecting the most vulnerable among us.