Senate passes infant safety devices to provide a safeguard for struggling families

In less than 15 years, two deaths have occurred in the state from abandoned babies

A scene depicting a mother turning over an infant to a firefighter is featured in a video explaining Alaska’s safe surrender law. (Screenshot from Alaska Department of Family and Community Services video)

By Jasz Garrett

Juneau Independent

Alaska could join 22 other states in authorizing the use of “baby boxes” as an expansion of an already existing safe surrender law enacted in 2008. 

The Alaska State Senate passed Senate Bill 9 on Tuesday and it will now be reviewed by the House.

The safe surrender law allows a parent to turn over an infant under the age of 21 days old to a doctor, nurse, firefighter, police officer if the parent believes they are unable to care for the child, who would then be turned over to the Office of Children’s Services for placement. 

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Robb Myers, R-North Pole, allows dedicated locations to install and maintain infant safety devices. In less than 15 years, two deaths have occurred in the state from abandoned babies. 

“One, just a block away from the Anchorage Fire Station,” he said.

The incident prompted the Anchorage Fire Department and the state Fire Chiefs Associations to support the bill.

“While it’s impossible to know every person's motivations, anecdotal evidence from around the country indicates that shame and fear are still barriers to safely surrendering an infant directly to a person,” Myers said.

Sens. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, and Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage, voted no. 

“I have struggled with this legislation and, while I believe the intent is rooted in compassion, I cannot ignore the reality of how these devices will be used,” Tobin said, arguing the deployment of the devices leads to the abuse of women and potential loss of their lives. 

Current state law limits safe surrender to a person directly. The proposed safety devices allow parents to anonymously relinquish an infant. The boxes then hold the baby in a climate-controlled environment with an automatic lock and constant video surveillance while immediately alerting emergency services. Devices may be located in fire stations, hospitals, birth centers, municipal police departments, rural health clinics, state trooper posts, or other emergency facilities. The bill would not mandate or pay for these devices.

“We on this floor do not have the luxury of ignoring the potential misuse of these devices,” Tobin said, arguing that they can be used to traffic women. “All it will take is for one abuser to drive by one of these devices and point to it and look at the victim in his car and say, ‘That is where I will put your baby in that box if you don’t do exactly what I say.’”

Tobin said the potential misuse of the devices outweighs the benefit and the bill could also make it difficult for a child to know who they are. 

Myers said coercion is a problem without the “baby boxes.”

“It’s a possibility whether or not this bill passes,” he said. “This bill provides another option compared to leaving the child on the side of the road. It doesn’t fix the situation that the mother may be in, but at least the child may survive.”

• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz@juneauindependent.com or (907) 723-9356.