Indiana Baby Box Law Allows Parents To Abandon Newborn Children In A Metal Container [Video]

In Indiana, a proposed baby box law would allow parents to abandon children inside a metal container without fear of persecution instead of bringing them to a hospital, church, police, or fire department. The proposal is already considered very controversial by some and is facing intense opposition, but the makers of documentary called The Drop Box believes the idea could offer hope.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, a Korean baby box intended to rescue disabled children from death is being considered illegal.

Currently, the Safe Haven law in Indiana allows mothers to abandon babies at certain locations without being legally prosecuted. Monica Kelsey, an Indiana firefighter and medic who is working on the baby box proposal, claims that some parents fear persecution based upon a face-to-face interaction and believes a faceless metal container is the answer.

“There are these girls that don’t want their faces seen. And we’re finding babies abandoned in woods, creeks, dumpsters,” Kelsey said according to Fox News. “Those are the babies that we are targeting with these boxes. Those are the women that need us.”

Proponents of the baby box law note these metal containers are safe, climate controlled, and include three silent alarms which notify authorities when a child is abandoned. Jedediah Bila agrees that the outward appearance is definitely alarming, but believes the alternative is worse.

“Anything that facilitates getting these babies a proper home,” Bila said. “As long as they’re safe, it’s a much better alternative. Initially, when people look at the boxes, there’s a little bit of alarm. It looks like a dog carrier in some cases. But when you think about babies that are being left out in the open, in the wilderness, in Starbucks, the hope is that the moms will see that there is an option, a safer option, and take that option.”

The concept of the baby box is currently used in several European countries in addition to Asian countries like China and Japan. South Korean pastor Lee Jong-Rak invented the baby box in response to babies being abandoned in trash cans and public restrooms. He’s currently working on a documentary called The Drop Box which tells the entire story behind the idea in addition to showing all the disabled children who have been saved over the years. Jong-Rak recalls when he built the first heated box with his own tools, rigged it with a bell, and affixed it with a sign that explained his intentions.

“This is a facility for the protection of life. If you can’t take care of your disabled babies, don’t throw them away or leave them on the street. Bring them here.”

According to The Federalist, Pastor Lee does not even expect people to use it, and prays, “God, please don’t let any baby be abandoned in the world. Only if the child’s life is being threatened. Or if the baby box is their last hope.”

Some have called Pastor Lee a “modern day Mother Teresa” based upon his work with the baby box, but in Indiana some believe the stark metal contains may reinforce the shame of child abandonment, which may lead to mothers not seeking any proper method at all.

What do you think of the baby box?