A newborn was safely surrendered at a Lubbock fire station using a “Safe Haven Baby Box,” a temperature-controlled bassinet equipped with a silent alarm that allows a parent in crisis to anonymously relinquish a newborn.
The device is designed so a parent can place the baby inside the soft, climate-controlled compartment, triggering an alert to first responders without direct contact or questioning.
The surrender falls under a Texas statute known as the Baby Moses or Safe Haven law, which allows parents to legally and safely surrender an unharmed newborn younger than 60 days at designated locations such as fire stations and hospitals.
While Lubbock has already seen a Safe Haven Baby Box used, San Antonio is still working to install its first units, despite setting aside funding more than a year ago.
In 2023, the San Antonio City Council approved $500,000 in the city budget with the goal of installing a dozen boxes at fire stations across the city. To date, none have been put in place.
A San Antonio Fire Department spokesperson told KSAT that the first three locations selected for installation are Fire Station No. 24 on Austin Highway, Fire Station No. 18 on South W.W. White Road and Fire Station No. 7 on St. Mary’s Street.
The first box is expected to be installed by February, with the other two projected for March and April.
However, questions remain about the delays. KSAT is waiting on a reply to an email inquiry sent to the city manager’s office asking for an explanation of what has slowed the process.
Child protection advocates say the Lubbock surrender underscores the importance of creating multiple, low-barrier options for parents who feel they cannot care for a newborn.
Under the Baby Moses law, parents who follow the statute’s requirements can surrender an unharmed infant younger than 60 days at a designated safe location without facing criminal charges for abandonment. The law is intended to prevent unsafe abandonments and to give infants a path to care and permanent placement.
Advocates emphasize that even without baby boxes installed, every San Antonio fire station is already a legal and safe surrender site. Infants can be handed directly to firefighters or staff, no questions asked.
Local child welfare advocates, including Pamela Allen, say the most important message is that parents in crisis are not alone and have safe, legal options.
For those who are pregnant and in crisis or unsure of what to do, help is available 24 hours a day at the Texas statewide hotline: (800) 392-3352.
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