County considers Safe Haven baby boxes

WOOD COUNTY – Wood County officials are exploring the installation of a Safe Haven box that would allow parents to anonymously surrender newborn infants, an initiative spurred by a previous local tragedy and growing statewide adoption of the technology.
County Board member Jeff Penzkover is leading the effort to bring one of the secure boxes to Wood County, joining four or five other Wisconsin communities that have implemented the program.
Sheriff Shawn Becker said he supports the initiative, citing the lasting impact of an infant homicide case several years ago in which parents killed their newborn child. Both parents were convicted and sentenced to prison.
“The impact of that on our staff and then the community, and especially Marshfield Medical Center,” Becker said during an interview on a recent “County Connections” broadcast. “I don’t want to really go into the details of the investigation, because it really bothers a lot of people.”
Safe Haven boxes provide an anonymous alternative to Wisconsin’s existing Safe Haven Law, which has been in effect since 2011. That law allows parents to surrender newborns up to 72 hours old to police officers, firefighters or hospital emergency rooms without facing prosecution.

The boxes are typically attached to fire department buildings and equipped with alarm systems that immediately alert dispatchers when an infant is placed inside. Most installations require 24-hour staffing and prohibit video surveillance to protect anonymity.
“The Safe Haven box came into existence where now, when you give up your child to the people that I had mentioned, that’s not anonymous,” Becker explained. “Maybe you don’t want to know who that individual, that parent is.”
Fire departments are the preferred location because of their medical training and round-the-clock staffing capabilities. The installations require meeting specific requirements to ensure infant safety and guarantee immediate response.
Becker said the boxes serve as “another way” for struggling parents to safely surrender infants they cannot care for, potentially preventing tragedies.
The county has not yet selected a specific location or timeline for installation, but Becker expects the initiative will move forward given the passion behind it.
“I think it’ll happen somewhere in Wood County,” he said.
Parents in crisis situations can currently access Safe Haven Law protections by contacting local law enforcement, fire departments or visiting hospital emergency rooms.