Central Iowa community to get Iowa’s first Safe Haven Baby Box

FORT DODGE, Iowa (KCCI) - People in a central Iowa community are coming together to get Iowa’s first Safe Haven Baby Box.

It comes after Fort Dodge police arrested Taylor Blaha and Brandon Thoma in the death of a newborn baby last November.

Prosecutors charged them with first-degree murder in the death of their daughter Kaylee. They pleaded guilty in January.

The child’s remains have still not been found.

Since then, people in the community have looked at an alternative solution for people who don’t want their babies.

This is where the idea of a Safe Haven Baby Box came in.

An Indiana company created the box and has them in several states.

The boxes are placed at locations staffed 24/7, usually by first responders, to allow people to anonymously surrender their baby.

First responders would take the baby to a hospital and surrender the baby to the state.

Before installing the box, the governor needs to sign a bill at her desk.

Current Iowa law allows people to give up a baby up to 90 days old at a hospital or health care facility. But the baby has to go to a person, so it isn’t anonymous.

Lawmakers passed a bill this past legislative session which would allow people to give up their baby anonymously at places staffed 24/7 with first responders.

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