“Baby Boxes” to Save the Lives of Abandoned Babies
This spring, the state Legislature approved “baby boxes” to safely and anonymously receive abandoned newborns. Hospitals, fire stations, and clinics across the state will have them. Over the past twelve years, the Department of Family and Community Services has received nine babies, according to its own data.In 1986, a newborn was found alive in Anchorage, near a Salvation Army container. In January 2022, another was miraculously found alive in a cardboard box, in subzero temperatures, near a rural intersection on the outskirts of Fairbanks. Representative Robb Myers, a Republican from North Pole and the sponsor of this bill, is aware of “two other cases: Eagle River in 2013 and downtown Anchorage in 2024. However, both children were already dead.”
“We have no indication that Alaska is any better or worse than other states when it comes to abandoned babies,” Myers tells SOL DE MEDIANOCHE. “We have such a small population, and this happens so rarely in general, that meaningful comparisons are nearly impossible.” It stands to reason that baby abandonment may occur more frequently when mothers are vulnerable. This vulnerability affects women in communities that face greater challenges with social integration the most. We asked Senator Robert Myers: Are there laws to help these women? What are the federal and Alaska governments doing to prevent abandonments? “The most recent policy we passed to help new mothers was to expand Medicaid for postpartum care for up to one year for both the mother and the child. “But the real solution here cannot come from the government,” Myers responds. “When a person is in crisis, we cannot expect a program that involves forms and office interviews to be the real help people need.” “That comes from a supportive community that surrounds people and lifts them up,” he explains. “But it’s difficult to pass laws for that. It’s up to us as citizens, not as lawmakers. At the state level, we can do some things to help with the economy and the cost of living in general, but we can’t provide compassion. That comes only from compassionate individuals.” In an official press release, Myers stated: “Safe Baby Delivery laws are a tool to help save lives.” |