An 18-year-old Idaho woman has been charged after a deceased newborn baby girl was found in a Safe Haven Baby Box at Grove Creek Medical Center in Blackfoot, Idaho.
The discovery occurred on October 13, 2024, when medical staff responded to an alarm triggered by the box, only to find that the baby had already passed away before being placed inside.
The Safe Haven Baby Boxes are designed to allow parents to anonymously surrender healthy newborns who are less than 30 days old.
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However, this baby girl was found with the placenta still attached, indicating she had died before being placed in the box.
Angel N. Newberry, the teenager, was arrested on November 22, 2024, and charged with failing to report a death to law enforcement and the coroner, a felony.
If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in prison or a $50,000 fine.
The Safe Haven Baby Boxes nonprofit, which operates the facility, expressed heartbreak over the situation, emphasizing that the law only allows for healthy infants to be surrendered.
The organization’s founder, Monica Kelsey, stated that the baby was wrapped in a blanket and placed in the box, but had been deceased for some time.
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Newberry made her first court appearance on November 22 and is set to appear again on December 5. The ongoing investigation may lead to further charges, according to police.
The case has deeply affected the Safe Haven Baby Boxes staff, who expressed devastation over the incident.
