State Rep. Donna Givens (R-Loxley) celebrated the opening of a Safe Haven Baby Box in Mobile on Wednesday.
USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital paid for its own box, which allows mothers to safely surrender their infant children without questions.
“They’re the first one in South Alabama to do this and it was so exciting,” Givens told 1819 News. “It was a wonderful morning.”
Givens sponsored a bill to allow mothers who are unable to care for their babies to drop them off legally within 45 days of giving birth. The Alabama legislature passed the bill in the 2023 regular session. Before then, mothers only had 72 hours to surrender babies at hospitals.
The new box is at 1700 Center Street, behind the Pediatric Emergency Center.
There are now eight boxes statewide, and three infants have been surrendered. Another box will be installed at the Foley Fire Department, but there is no scheduled date for that installation.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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