IOWA, USA — Two babies have been declared "Safe Haven babies" by the state of Iowa.
The infants, a baby girl and a baby boy, were both born in mid-March and turned over to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services under the Safe Haven Act.
Originally enacted in 2002, the Safe Haven Act is designed to help parents in crisis. Under the act, parents and guardians can leave an infant, aged 90 days or less, at a designated location such as a hospital, police station or fire station.
In 2023, the Iowa Legislature voted to expand the Safe Haven Act to include the use of "newborn safety devices".
"I want parents to know that they have this safe and trusted option at such a critical time in their lives,” Iowa HHS Director Kelly Garcia said in a statement. “Accessing Safe Haven is assuredly not an easy decision, but this law exists to protect newborns and its success is evident by the number of families that have trusted in the Safe Haven Act. Our goal is to protect these newborns and provide them with the best permanent home possible.”
The two babies relinquished in March are the first "Safe Haven babies" of 2024. In 2023, 10 infants were presented to Iowa HHS.
68 infants have fallen under the state's custody as a result of the Safe Haven Act since its enactment in 2002.
The babies will be placed with foster families until a permanent placement can be found.
