News stories in the United States and across the globe about safe haven baby boxes.
Note: some links may be cross-posted elsewhere in Critical Readings. See also individual state overview pages for localized news stories.
For a large collection of Roe v Wade and SHBB articles see Abortion, Adoption Safe Havens, and Reproductive Justice
United States
Anti-abortion authorities are touting ‘baby boxes’ as an alternative to abortion. Who uses them?, NPR WUAB-FM, September 21, 2022
Bellinghaussen, Grace. LB876: The baby box dilemma, Omaha World-Herald, March 30, 2024
Bruce, Lori. “Baby Boxes” Aren’t a Solution to Roe’s Appeal. The Progressive, March 2, 2023
Bruce, Lori and Sophie Schott, Baby Boxes limit family preservation options for Texas in crisis, Dallas Dallas Morning News, March 29, 2024
Cowan, Samantha, Baby drop-off boxes renew debate over infant surrender. TakePart, May 18, 2016
Coyne, Tom. Indiana child welfare officials want group to stop using baby boxes,. WSBT-TV/ Associated Press, June 10, 2016
Coyne, Tom. Senator plans to work on law to allow baby boxes in Indiana, Associated Press, June 11, 2016.
Derluca, Alex. 800-Year Old Method of Surrendering Babies Sees Revival Light of Abortion Ban Bill. Miami New Times, April 11, 2023
Despite concerns of child health experts, baby box bill clears Indiana legislature, South Bend Tribune, April 14, 2017
Editorial. Our Opinion: Baby Boxes are not the Answer. South Bend Tribune/Pharos Tribune, April 21, 2017
Editorial: Rushing “safe haven infant’ adoptions is step down an unclear path. Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, April 11, 2023
Editorial. State advocates Safe Haven as best way to surrender unwanted infant. Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, May 31, 2016
Editorial. Safer Surrenders: Promotion of existing law is best approach. Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, January 5, 2018
Forshee, Sherry. Guest Commentary: Safe Havens provide confident alternatives, NW Indiana Times, January 12, 2018
Haeberwle, Bennett, Committee votes against statewide baby box expansion. WISH-TV, November 18, 2015
Ivanson, Alyssa, Baby boxes bring debate over safety protocols. WANE-TV, Fort Wayne, May 18, 2016
Ivanson, Alyssa, DCS director questioning “Baby Box” safety. WANE-TV, Fort Wayne, June 10, 2016.
Kelly, Niki. “Baby boxes” ruled bad idea for Indiana. Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, November 19, 2015
Kelly, Niki. State tells local group to remove baby boxes. Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, June 11, 2016
Kwiatkowski, Marisa. Indiana agency votes against “baby boxes.” Indianapolis Star, November 19, 2015.
Larsen Dana. Baby Drop Boxes? God help us. Storm Lake (Iowa) Pilot Tribune, May 5, 2016 (web archive)
Moolten, Shira.As abortion ban looms, Florida may soon authorize “baby boxes: for unwanted infants. South-Florida Sun-Sentinal, April 8, 2023
Muniz, Leslie Bonila. Proposal could get surrendered infants to “”forever families” sooner, Indiana Capital Chronicle, April 3, 2023
Oberman and Clara Lewis. Wildly Inconsistent Safe Haven Laws Put Surrendered Infants, Parents at Risk, Chicago Tribune, January 15, 2023
Parrott, Jeff. Despite concerns of child health experts, baby box bill clears Indiana legislature, South Bend Tribune, April 14, 2017
Pertman, Adam. Legalized infant abandonment: Alarm in Europe, barely a peep in the U.S. Huffington Post, April 23, 2013
Pinker, Steven, Why They Kill Their Children, New York Times, November 2, 1997
Powell, Hilary. Are “Baby Boxes” legal in Indiana? That question up for debate. WSBT-TV, South Bend, June 10, 2016
Smith, Brandon. Baby Boxes Expansion Added into Abortion Measure, WFYI-FM, February 25, 2018
Snell, Grace. Safe Delivery: Baby boxes offer safe haven–and controversy, World, January 26, 2023
Spencer, Terry. Florida fight over “baby boxes” part of bigger culture war. Associated Press/ABCNews, April 11, 2023
Talbott, Margaret, Amy Coney Barrett’s Long Game, The New Yorker, February 14, 2022
Tuhus-Dubrow, Rebecca. A Safe Haven for Whom? Pacific Standard, June 14, 2017.
Walters. Joanna. Baby Boxes: pro-life campaigners bring the ‘abortion alternative’ to America. The Guardian, May 5, 2016
International
Amos, Howard. Catholic Priest to Appeal Closure of Kirov Baby Box. Moscow Times, May 12, 2015.
Baby hatch debate focuses on handicapped children, Japan Today, April 19, 2008
Baby hatches turn 10 amid calls for closure. The Local (Berlin) April 8, 2010.
Bartsch, Matthias,et al. Do Baby Hatches Really Save Lives? Der Spiegel, July 13, 2012
CBS Evening News. China’s controversial “baby hatches” June 22, 2014
deBoick, Sophia. Poland’s ‘baby hatches’ leave vulnerable mothers exposed. The Guardian, December 10, 2012
Elyatt, Holly. More abandoned children as Europe austerity wears on. CNBC, August 9, 2012.
Europe mulls, banning “baby boxes” for abandoned babies. USA Today, November 24, 2012.
Evans, Stephen. The “baby box” returns to Europe. BBC, June 26, 2012
Faircloth, Ken. Chinese ‘Baby Hatch’ Closes Due to Too Many Abandoned Babies. Jezebel, March 17, 2014
Fannazi, Sonia. Number of “baby hatches” grows despite controversy. SwissInfo (SWI),February 9, 2014
Fernades, Edna. Abandoned… in a postbox for babies: The shocking rise of newborns being left in ‘adoption hatches’ by mothers unable to cope. Daily Mail, July 7, 2012
Fight of a fake “born under X”: the State and the department condemned to pay him 20,000 euros, The Limited Times, April 4, 2022
Godfrey, Hannah. Les Enfants X: denied their true identity, The Independent, August 20, 2011
Government debates dangers of baby hatches, Deutsche Welle, December 3, 2013.
Greimel, Hans. Japan irked toddler put in baby drop box. Washington Post, May 16, 2007.
Holmes, Thailia. [LONG READ]: Why do parents abandon their babies?, Johannesburg Mail & Guardian, May 7, 2018
Hoppner, Stephanie. New law to give orphans right to know mother’s identity, Deutsche Welle, October 6, 2013
Jones, Sophia. UN Committee calls for an end to centuries-old practice of “baby boxes.” NPR, November 26, 2012.
Kaiman, Jonathan. Chinese city suspends baby hatch after it is overwhelmed by unwanted children. The Guardian, March 17, 2014.
Litvinova Daria. Boxing in unwanted children: Controversial scheme divides Russia. Moscow Times, March 31, 2016
Maillet, Anne and Jessica Saltz. Baby boxes to be banned in Germany. Focus. January 7, 2013. (TV)
Marmenlind, Amlie. The Controversy of Japan’s”Baby Hatch,” Metropolis, September 24, 2020
MPs split over “baby Box” initiative. RT.com, September 7, 2015.
Millson, Allison. Abandoned: Heartbreaking pictures of parents leaving their children in China’s notorious “baby hatches.” South China Morning Post, April 2, 2014.
Mock, Melanie Spring. Build families, not baby boxes. Christianity Today, March 19, 2015.
Mokrushin, Mihail. Senator prepares bill banning “baby boxes” in Russia. RT, June 2, 2016.
Moscow Times, Baby Boxes Increase ‘Terrorism Risk,’ Claims Top Russian Health Official. November 29, 2016
Moscow Times. Ultraconservative lawmaker Mukzulina drafts law to ban Russian baby boxes, June 3, 20
New Matilda, Why baby hatches are a bad idea, December 3, 2014
Ndlovu, Mandisa, Baby Saver defends havens amid government claims of illegality, Johannesburg/Capetgown Mail & Guardian, October 31, 2023
Nobuho, Moromoto, Kumamoto’s “Baby Post” and the Right to Know One’s Parents, nippon.com, November 10, 2017
Paramaguru, Kharunya. U.N. Criticizes Europe’s Drop Boxes for Unwanted Babies, Time Magazine, June 13, 2012
Pasquet, Yannick. New law reignites debate over Germany’s “baby hatch.”
Randash, Randeep. Spread of “baby boxes” in Europe alarms United Nations. The Guardian, June 10, 2012.
Reeves, Philip. Spread of “baby boxes” alarms Europeans. NPR, February 18, 2013.
Reilly, Jill. Heartbreaking goodbyes to babies at China’s “baby islands.” Daily Mail, April 2, 2014.
Rising, David and Maria Cheng. Baby box ban: Why the UN wants to ban the practice. Christian Science Monitor, November 26, 2012.
Srivas, Anuj. In Switzerland, Baby Hatches Rest on a Minefield of Politics, Religion and Social Justice, The Wire, October 2, 2017
Sycheva, Irina. “Abandonment of a child should not be anonymous,” Elena Alshanskaya–about the child whose father left [it] in the baby box. Pravmir, May 25, 2020
Sycheva, Irina. The Bill on Baby Boxes Will Be Considered by the Government. Pros and Cons, Pravmir, October 12, 2020.
The Local. Ethics watchdogs call for end to baby hatches. November 27, 2009
Young, Connie, China “baby hatch” inundated with abandoned, disabled children, CNN, June 30, 2014
Zhou, Laura, Critics say baby hatches ‘encourage child abandonment’ as nearly 80 babies left at Guangzhou shelter over CNY, South China Morning Post, February 17, 2014
Updated April 7, 2024