Thursday, September 11, 2025
Indiana is a national leader when it comes to protecting life, especially our youngest Hoosiers. For more than 25 years, Indiana has had a Safe Haven Law that allows parents in crisis to anonymously surrender a newborn without fear of arrest or prosecution.
Over the years, the law has expanded to make the process of surrendering an infant more accessible and discreet. Today, newborns 60 days and younger can be surrendered to trained medical workers at hospitals, fire stations and police stations. They may also be surrendered in Safe Haven Baby Boxes.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are secure, climate-controlled incubators located at hospitals and fire departments across the state that allow parents in crisis to safely and anonymously surrender their baby.
When a baby is placed inside a Safe Haven Baby Box, silent alarms immediately notify first responders. Within minutes, first responders retrieve the infant and ensure it receives immediate medical care and then transfer custody of the baby to the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Today, there are more than 100 baby boxes across Indiana, and each year, more infants are being safely and responsibly surrendered.
From small towns to big cities, these baby boxes are saving the lives of so many infants by preventing abandonment, and Senate Republicans will continue our efforts to ensure parents in crisis have support when a difficult decision may need to be made. See below for more information about Safe Haven Baby Boxes across Indiana.
