TEXARKANA, Ark. -- In the wake of the first infant being surrendered via a "baby box" in Florida, local fire chiefs shared what a parent can do in a situation where they need to surrender their child.
"You can give it (the infant) to a fire station, an emergency medical station or a hospital or a freestanding emergency room," Texarkana, Texas, Interim Fire Chief Chris Black said.
Black said there are multiple places where an infant can be passed to a staff member but there are not any baby boxes in Texas.
According to the Safe Haven Baby Box website, the boxes were created by founder Monica Kelsey, who was abandoned as an infant and later learned of baby boxes when in Cape Town, South Africa.
Kelsey said she felt the boxes provided safety for a newborn, as the boxes lock automatically when an infant is placed inside and an alarm alerts authorities. Kelsey also intended for the boxes to allow a parent in crisis to anonymously and safely surrender their child.
The only baby box in Florida recently was used for the first time after its installation two years ago at an Ocala Fire Station. The state has had a safe haven law since 2000, allowing a parent to surrender a newborn no more than a week old at a fire or police station or an emergency medical service station.
"Somebody can't just leave it on a doorstep or anything. You have to give it to somebody. If you just leave it there and walk away, then you're violating the law," Black said.
Arkansas-side Fire Chief David Fletcher said if a parent chooses to surrender an infant to a facility staffed 24 hours a day -- like a fire station, police station or emergency medical station -- the only information they will want to know is the approximate age of the infant or if they have medical conditions or a first name.
"From there, we will contact a medical facility and the department of human services that will assess and take the child," Fletcher said.
Fletcher said the infant must appear to be 30 days old or younger and not be intentionally neglected or abused. In Texas, the infant must appear to be 60 days old or younger.
"The parent is protected from any kind of arrest or prosecution," Fletcher said.
Fletcher said baby boxes are part of an internal conversation in the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, and some people have expressed interest.
"I fully support safe haven laws, for a parent to be able to drop off a child at a fire station, police station or medical facility. But we are still in the information stage on these baby boxes," Fletcher said.
Black said he recommended parents who are considering surrendering their child consult social services around the city.
"There are resources, and if you're conflicted about what to do, talk to someone. Go find some support somewhere if you don't have it from family or friends. Try to reach out to other organizations, because it's a big decision to give that up -- but it's also a big decision to keep it," Black said.
The baby box closest to Texarkana is at Maumelle Fire Station No. 1, 2000 Murphy Drive, in Maumelle, Arkansas.