Teen Arrested After Placing Dead Infant in Safe Haven Baby Box Shortly After Giving Birth
An Idaho teenager is facing felony charges after a devastating discovery was made in a Safe Haven Baby Box.
On November 22nd, the Blackfoot Police Department revealed that a newborn baby girl was found dead inside one of these boxes at the Grove Creek Medical Center on October 13th. Safe Haven Baby Boxes are designed to provide a safe and anonymous way for parents to surrender newborns under 30 days old without fear of prosecution, as long as the infants are healthy and unharmed. The boxes are equipped with alarms that alert medical staff immediately when a baby is placed inside.
However, in this tragic case, when the medical team responded to the alarm, they found that the baby had already passed away before being placed in the box. The infant was still wrapped in a blanket with the placenta attached, confirming that the child had been deceased for some time.
The mom, 18-year-old Angel N. Newberry, has been charged with felony failure to report a death. She could face up to ten years in prison or a $50,000 fine. Her arrest followed an investigation by Blackfoot and Bingham County police. Safe Haven Baby Boxes expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stressing that their mission is to provide a safe alternative for parents in crisis, but only for healthy, living babies. The organization called the situation “heartbreaking,” as it had hoped to offer a life-saving option for parents in need.
This incident underscores the critical importance of these Safe Haven boxes, which have helped save 52 infants since their inception in 2017. As of now, it’s unknown how the infant died.
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