Safe Haven Baby Box: An anonymous, compassionate surrender of newborns in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Kansas City is considering a life-saving addition to its fire stations: Safe Haven Baby Boxes.

These secure, anonymous drop-off sites allow parents in crisis to surrender their newborns safely and without fear of judgment.

Missouri law currently permits infants under 45 days old to be surrendered at hospitals, police stations, or firehouses. The process is not anonymous in all of Missouri - a hurdle advocates say makes a heart-wrenching decision even harder.

Ten newer KCFD stations could be candidates, including Firehouse 35 on Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. It has the infrastructure needed to support the boxes, with separate entryways that offer privacy and protection from the elements.

“It’s very difficult, I can imagine, to have to make that decision to look somebody in the eye and pass over your child to them,” said KCFD Captain Kelsey Whetro said.

Kansas City spokeswoman Sherae Honeycutt began researching the initiative in 2023. For Honeycutt, the cause is personal.

“As someone who was in foster care as a teenager, this really hits home,” Honeycutt said. “We want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to give children the best opportunity possible. These are our future Kansas Citians.”

The proposed boxes would allow a parent to place their infant in a climate-controlled, secure compartment, triggering an alert to first responders who can then begin a medical evaluation.

“(The baby would be) safe and secure until first responders are able to retrieve the baby,” Whetro said.

The idea has gained traction, and next week, the City Council will take a closer look.

Councilman Nathan Willett is sponsoring the ordinance and said a resolution will be discussed Tuesday, April 15 at 1:30 p.m. during the Neighborhood and Planning Development Committee meeting.

“We’ll look at what stations are options for this, how many boxes, also come up with a cost for it as well and see if this is something that the city actually wants to do,” Willett said.

Missouri currently has six Safe Haven Baby Box locations, mostly near St. Louis and Joplin. The closest one to Kansas City is in Savannah, north of St. Joseph.

Honeycutt believes it’s time the state’s largest metro area considers the same compassion-driven option.

“Safe Haven Baby boxes help people understand what laws are available and what their options are, and so these offer an anonymous way to do that, but also reminds people that you can surrender your child,” Honeycutt said. “It’s okay if you feel like you’re not able to care for your baby, you can give that child a different life, and there are no repercussions.”

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