NAM/NAAM Day 4: Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc Admits It Doesn’t Know Why Their Boxes Are Used–and Don’t Care

MEOWW!!! I promised way-back-when to make regular comments regarding the stupid things people say about Safe Haven Baby Boxes, but I fell asleep at the wheel. The PB (Putative Boss) reminded me tonight that since this is NAM/NAAM, I had better tote that barge and lift that bale and get something out. I told her I’ve been so busy supervising the so-called help here (don’t get me started!) that I haven’t had the time. Besides, I’m out of practice. “Not my problem,” she responded. ” So here I am, at a ridiculous hour, typing my little paws off.  This will be short since I still have filing to do, (I’m calling my union rep in the morning.) That said. I do hope that this shows you the willful spread of kitty litter we deal with daily.

Back in July, Roanoke Memorial Hospital installed a baby dump box–the first and only box so far in Virginia. The opening ceremony, aka “blessing ” offered nothing extraordinary. The usual suspects took the podium and congratulated themselves for “saving” future babies. You know. “We hope this box never gets used, but we can’t wait until it is. ” (The box hasn’t been used.) Monica Kelsey, SHBB Inc’s CEO/Founder didn’t make the trip south and sent her assistant project coordinator, Mariah Betz, to do the honors. Ms Betz regurgitated Mrs. Kelsey’s origin story and business spiel, then admitted, according to Cardinal News, that their company doesn’t know why parents use their boxes:

There are endless situations that could drive a parent to leave a child in one of these secure locations, but one of the key elements of the drop-off model is that no one knows the exact circumstances, Betz said. 

“It’s completely anonymous, completely judgment-free,” she said. 

This lack of curiosity is disturbing. It is astounding. In other words, we don’t care why women stick their babies in our box. We don’t care what terrible forces compel them to make this decision. Just give us your baby.

Frankly, I’m surprised-not-surprised. We have pointed out for years (as have experts in the field) the circumstances that create newborn discard, but the Kelsey Crew seldom acknowledges them. Some of the fanbase , in fact, reduce causes to “evil,” specifically “demon possession.”

But here are the real circumstances:

• poverty

• inability to secure affordable medical treatment and reproductive health care

• denial or ignorance of pregnancy

• draconian immigration policies and practices

• substance abuse and physical and sexual abuse

• shame, crime, mental illness, dysfunctional families, social isolation, and poor communication skills.

Officials at the hospital already know this. Dr. Drew Herman, the chair of pediatrics at the hospital, citing his own professional experience, reiterated these points at the ceremony:

He’s seen firsthand how overwhelming it can be for some parents — especially those facing poverty, substance use disorder or disabilities — to care for a newborn, let alone a medically fragile one. Sometimes, parents in this position leave their newborn in the hospital, he said. 

Newborn discard is rooted in economic disparity, race, class, misogyny, social dysfunction, and shame. Modern decent societies attempt to address these problems. The US sweeps them into the dustbin of liberal” wokeness” and irrelevance and blames the victim. “Not our problem.” As does SHBB Inc

Now we don’t expect the baby box company to tackle these issues, but they could acknowledge them. They could bring up economic and social inequity and dysfunction in their marketing and PR plans. They could endorse measures regarding the living wage, affordable healthcare, ICE, discrimination in its many forms, and misogyny. They could stop promoting perceived and concealed pregnancy behaviors, avoidance of pre- and postnatal care, and unattended pregnancy all of which they how-to in their 12 minute “PSA”,  Mrs. Kelsey’s famous claim that if a father (or other strict authority figure) takes a baby and boxes it (or does something else, we presume*), the mother can simply call the police. Does she think these mothers are in a safe position to do that?  No, Mrs Kelsey and her minions view women in problematic pregnancies through the rosy lens of privilege and evangelical certitude. They need to step out of their echo chamber.

And as for judgement…Well, just remember that SHBB Inc’s hotine coordinator and counselor, Pam Stenzel compares women who have sex with more than one man to an old shoe and a chewed piece of gum.

Really,,Safe Haven Baby Boxes Inc. You can do better ! You can take an interest in –acknowledge- the causes of newborn discard and actually work for social and economic justice and family preservation instead of adding to the rot.

*The Kruckenbrg Anderson case in Monroe, Wisconsin, is a case in point. The PB will write about it in a couple of days.

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Cross-posted to the Daily Bastardette

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Poke the Bear 2025

Day 4 – 26 days to go!